
Glass . F/5y 



Book. 



i^j:ia 



? 



MESSAGE 
/ 

FROM THE 



GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLYANIA, 3^ 



TRANSMITTING THE 



REPOriTS OF THE JOINT COMMISSIONEPtS, 



AND OF 



COL CIUAHAM, U. S. ENGINEERS, 



IN RELATION 



TO THE BOUND AHY LINES 



BETWEEN THE , i 

STATES OF PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE AND MARYLAND. 



»*/SAA/'^ '^^^^/^-"^ 



11 ARRIS BURG: 
J. M. G. Li:8CURE, PRINTER TO THE STATE. 

1850. 



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%(y 






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O* 



REPORT. 



Mr. Bowen, from the select committee to whom were referred the message of the 
Governor, together with tlie accompanying documents, in relation to the determination 
of tlie point of junction of the boundary lines of the Slates of Pennsylvania, Delaware 
and Maryland, by a joint commission from the said Slates, made the following report: 

That tliey have with much interest examined the report of Joshua P. Eyre, Esq., 
the commissioner appointed by the Stale of Pennsylvania, the report of the joint com- 
mission, and the very clear and elaborate report of Colonel J. D. Graham, of the 
Uniied States topographical engineers. 

The importance of distinctly marking and commemorating the limits of adjoining 
Stales, is forcibly illustrated in the present instance. The work of iMessrs. Mason 
and Dixon was the result of a protracted controversy between the proprietors of ad- 
joining provinces ; was attended by every circumstance that should seem to be neces- 
sary to give it notoriety and leave an indelible impression upon traditionary memory ; 
was finished by erecting permanent landmarks, of bokl and slriking character, which 
with two exceptions in the localities examined, remain undisturbed; yet from the want 
of a similar demarcation of the curved line beyond the point of junction, and closely 
adjacent to the line thus exhibited upon the surface of the ground, territory exceeding 
a thousand acres, in the small space affected by these lines, has been the subject of 
misapprehension and doubt, which doubt has extended even to those portions of boun- 
dary which it is now shown are well defined by monuments, undisturbed since they 
were first established. '' 

The angle forming the north-eastern corner of Maryland, and the point of junction 
of the boundary lines of the three States uniting in this commission, are now settled. 
The curved line extending from this point of junction to the river Delaware, has 
never been surveyed and marked since the separation of the three lower counties now 
forming the Stale of Delaware, from the province of Pennsylvania. 

It is probably twenty-four or twenty-tive miles in extent, and its curvature renders it 
peculiarly diflicult to be ascertained for local and temporary purposes. Your committee, 
therefore, recommend the appointment of a commissioner to unite with a commis- 
sioner on the part of the State of Delaware, should that State concur, to ascertain and 
mark with precision this imporlanl line. 

In consequence of the misapprehension before noted, and in view of the possible 
results of such survey, your committee deem it a necessary precaution to provide for 
the transfer of records and the final settlement of pending controversies, should any 
exisi, in relation to lands that may be found to lie within other jurisdiction than the 
parlies in interest have supposed. Transactions in good failh, founded upon such 
misapprehension, are entitled to protection ; and though limited to a narrow scope, 
much evil may possibly ensue, if due provision be not made. Such provision should 
be mutual between the adjoining States, and the passage of reciprocal laws is therefore 
recommended in anticipation of the concurrence of the State of Delaware. 



lo the Honorable the Senate and Hniisc of Represenlatives of the Commonrveallh 

of Pennsylvania : 

Gentlemkn: — The commissioner appointed in pursuance of ihe fourteenth section 
of the act of the l>cgit>hiture of this Stale, of tenlti April last, to act in conjnnclion with 
commissioners appointed or to be appointed by the Slates of Delaware and Marjland, 
with power to survey and determine llie point of intersection of the Stales of Pennsyl- 
vania. Delaware and Maryland, and to fix some suitable mark or monument whereby 
the said point may hereafter be indicated, has submitted to me liis report, toi»elher with 
the joint report of the commissioners to the several Executives of those States, of iheir 
proceedings under their respective commissions, the, report of the engineer employed 
to conduct the snrvej', and a finished map cctnstriicted therefrom. 

In transmitting these documents to the Lecrislature, I would partieularlv invite atten- 
tion to important suggestion-^ in the report of the commissioner of this Slate. 'I'hat 
offurer has, with much propriety, suggested the importance of procurinu; from the State of 
Maryland, where they are fortunately preserved, certified copies of the oflicial documents 
relating to the original setUement of the boundaries between the provinces of Pennsyl- 
vania and Maryland, not now to be found among the archives of this Slate. lie has 
also suggested the propriety of the passaoe of an act, authorizing tiie survey, defining 
and marking, with suitable monuments, of that part of the circular line at present form- 
ing the entire boundary between the two States of Pennsylvania and Delaware, and 
ratifying the existing titles to, and liens upon such lands heretofore supposed to be in 
the State of Delaware, which may be found by the running of said line, to be within 
the territory of this State ; and providing a limitation within which such titles and liens 
may be transferred to the State of Pennsylvania. 

These suggestions are deemed worthy of, and are, therefore, respectfully submitted 
to the attention and consideration of the Legislature. 

WM. F. JOHNSTON. 
Executive Chamber, '> 

Harrisburg, March 13, 1850. \ 



Chester, Pa., March 8, 1850. 
To his Excellency, IVilliam F. J hnslon, Governor of Pennsylvania: 

The undersigned, commissioner appointed by your Excellency, on the part of the 
State of Pennsylvania, umler the fourteenth section of an act of the General Assendily 
of this Commonwealth, passed the lOth day of April, A. D., 1849, entitled "A sup- 
plement to an act, entitled 'An Act relative to the organization of courts of justice,' 
passetl the 14th day of April. A. D., 1834," "to act in conjunction with commissioners 
appointed or to be appointed by the Slates of Delaware and Maryland, with power to 
survey and determine the puint of intersections of the States of Pennsylvania, Delaware 
and Maryland, and to fix some suitable mark or monument whereby the said point 
may hereafter be indicated," has the honor to transmit herewith the annexed joint re- 
port of the commissioners, (marked A,) with copies of the correspondence with Lieu- 
tenant Colonel J. D. Graham, the principal engineer, under whose charge the surveys 
were conducted ; (marked 15 C &l D ;) and also, the accompanying elaborate report 
(marked E) and certified map of('nlonel Graham, exhibiting full, and, I hope, satisfac- 
tory details of proceedings and result of the work. 

The field work of the surveys, from the inclemency of the weather and other una- 
voidable causes, as set forth in the report of the engineer, was prolonged, and the ex- 
penses consequently increased much beyond what were at first aiiticipaled by the com- 
missioners. They have, however, the satisfaction of slating that the work has been 
carefully done, and the scientific portion of it prosecuted by a gentleman whose de- 
servedly high reputation in his profession, will give entire confidence to its correctness, 
and important and dilTicult points on the boundaries of the several States have been deter- 



mined ;iiicl permaiientiy eslalili.-lipd ; from wfiirli the line between Pennsylvania and 
Dt'liiware, and llie east and west line Ix'iween llie former Slate and Maryland can, witli- 
oiii diiriciiliy, al any future liine, l)e run out. deiennined and marked. 

In searcliin<r for llie olfitnal docnmenis relalnig to the oriijin il seitlement of llie bounda- 
ries between ilie provinces of Piun-vlvaina anil .M;iryland, n'Uie of any importance 
could be found amonLj the areliives of this St::le. Tbey are all, however, forinn itely 
preserved amon;^ those of Maryland. 1 would, therefore, lespecifnlly sui;i>;est the ini- 
porlance of procuriii<f certified eopins thereof, and liavinir iheni printed for preservaiion, 
in i-onneciion wiiii the present reporis. 

Permit nie lo remark, before closing this introductory report, that in our intercourse 
with those citizens of the Slates of Pennsylvania and Delaware, owniuj/ projx^rty and 
residing coiiti<rnons lo the boundary line of the two Slates, and who are (iee|)ly and 
immediately interested in havin;^ thai line well defined, we found ihey w(;re under the 
impression the commissioners were antliotized — as it is believed it was inti-nded by 
those originating the commission they slionid be — 'to run out. define and mark that pari 
of the circular line al present forming the entire boundary between the two States ; but 
our authority not appearing to coniemplate sneh a survey, we C(Hild nol feel ourselves 
warranted in ijratifving their expectations and wishes. 

The necessity of defining and marking such circular boundary line, is the more appa- 
rent from ihe fact, that there does not appear lo be any monuments or oilier certain »:vi- 
dences of its true location, and there beinu noihiiig but uncertain and conllicling iradi- 
tionarv evidence of said line, great inconvenience has long h.een felt and losses su-iained, 
as well by the public in the assossmenl and collection of taxes, as iiy individuals own- 
ing land on or near the line ; since real estate in the vicinity, sold un<ler prt ceedmiis in 
partition or execution for debt, will nol bring ils full value by reasmi of the uneerlainly 
of the titles derived from courts, whose jurisdiction may not embraee such real esiaie. 
This uncertainty also produces difficulty in borrowing and loaning iiifuieys upon the 
faith of lands, when it is not known in which State to enter payntenls or record mort- 
gas^es to constitute a lien. I would, therefore, respectfully sug<>esl to your Excellency 
the propriety of recommending the passage of an act authorizing the surveying and 
marking said line, with suitable monuments at convenient distances, lo remedy the ex- 
is tins evils. 

All of which is respectfully submitted. 

JOSHUA P. EYRi:. 
Commissioner on the part of Pennsylvania. 



(A.) 

City OF Washington, March 1, 1850. 

To their Excellencies P. Francis Thomas, Gnvemor of Maryland, Willi \m F. 
Johnston, Governor of Pcnnsylrrmin. and William Tiiarp, Governor of Dela- 
ware : 

The undersigned commissioners, appointed by your Excellencies in pursuance of 
the leaislation of our respective Slates for ascertaining and re fixing certain boundaries 
where ihe Stales of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware join each oilier, beg leave 
to make the followintj report : 

Early in October last, we individually and in joint consultation, sought the informa- 
tion necessary to the discharge of our duties, and after conference in the city of U il- 
minglon, saw ihat much science and many intricate iiiaihematical problems were 
involved, that nol only required the talents of men as commissioners distingii shed in 
the annals of out country, and surveyors, lo carry out the agreement of th'; proprietary 
governments in 1760, but finally enlisted llie services of those distinguished mathema- 
ticians, Messrs. Mason and Dixon. 



6 

The work before lis involved the important points where llie peninsultrr or I;5ii(renl 
line intersects the due nonii line, and where tiie curve, on a radius of twelve English 
statute miles from New Castle, was required to begin ; also, the intersection of said 
curve with the due north line, or point wliere the three Slates join each other, and the 
intersection of the north line with the parallel of latitude — being the notlh-east corner 
of Maryland, or boundary of Pennsylvania and Maryland on the north. 

Looking to the iniricacy of the work and the distinction of our predecessors, the 
undersigned sought through your Excellencies assistance from the General Government. 
'J'he Secretary of War promptly afforded it in the detail of Lieut. Col. James D. Gra- 
ham, of the corps of t<)j)ographical engineers, alike distinguished for the corps to which 
he belongs, and signal ability with which he had executed many national works. 

Alter a full inquiry into the subject, and studious examination of the public archives 
at Annapolis, where alone they were to be (bund in preservation^ and copious extracts 
and note^ I'lom all connected with the agreement of the proprietary governments of 
1732 ard 1760, by (JoL Graham and the undersigned, we met Col. Graham again 
in New Castle, Wilmington and Newark, Delaware, for observation, conference and 
reconnoisance; when, lor the purpose of a proper understanding of our respective du- 
ties, the accompanying correspondence, marked B and C and D, was had. It resulted 
in an experimentjl survey, under the direction of Col. Graham, with a full corps of 
assistant engineers, anil such men, for field service, as v»'ere required by him and ap- 
proved by the undersigned. 

This experinrental survey, the undersigned wei'e gratified to find, resulted most satis- 
factorily, so far as land-marks, remaining monuments, and supposed positioi.s for some 
of the lost monuments were involved ; and we did hope that said survey might be 
final, and would close our labors; but the computations and 'plotting developed great 
discrepancies between our work, and that of the former commissioners and Messrs. 
Mason and Dixon, both in measurement and the true position of the tangent point. 

The measurement, too, of the radius, or distance from the centre of New Castle to 
the aforesaid tangent point, involved consequences important to Maryland, Pennsyl- 
vania and Delaware, as well as the correct running of the curve, and determined us, in 
full consultation with Col. Giaham, to pr-osecute a system of triangulation that would 
explain all discrepancies, afford accuracy to the different measurements, and supply 
the true distance fr-om the steeple, of the court house, at New Castle, to the aforesaid 
tangent point, or to any part of the said curve. 

This work was enlei'ed upon and prosecuted with great diligence, and would long 
since have been comjjleted but for the unsettled weather, which retarded the field labor, 
interrupted insirumenlal observations, and detained the engineers upon the line from 
the 15lh day of November to the 7th day of February. 

On the 8th day of February all the field hands were discharged, and Col. Graham, 
with his assistants, repaired to this place to complete their compulations, and make out 
such report and maps of the work as would afford to all a correct view of the labor 
they had encountered, and designation of an important portion of the territorial limits 
of our respective Slates. 

The undersigned, having determined to meet at this place as soon as their presence 
was necessary to a final adjustment of accounts and signirrg of maps, as well as for an 
interchange of views as to their joint and several reports, soon ascertained, that while 
their stay would expedite the result, it would be marked with a delay commensurate 
with all their early misconceptions of the work. We are, however, gratified with 
the belief that constant and daily intercour-se with (>ol. Graham, has better enabled us 
to appreciate the continued extent of labor, and precise scientific execution, that musi 
ensure the confidence of the scientific world, all of which will be properly estimated 
by your Excellencies on examining the map and report of the engineer, from which 



we will not further withdraw your attention, and which are submitted as the result of 
our commission. 

We have the honor to be. 

Respectfully yours, 

H. G. S. KEY, 
Commissioner on the. part of Moryland. 

JOSHUA P. EYRE, 
Commissioner on the part of Penn^jjlvania. 

GEO. READ RIDDLE, 
Commissioner on the part of Detaioare. 



(B.) 

Wilmington, Delaware, 

November 12, 1849. 

To Lt. Col. J. D. Graham, 

Of the U. S Topographical Engineers : 

Sir : — The undersigned, commissioners on the part of the Slates of Maryland, 
Pennsylvania and Delaware, appointed for the ascertainment of the boundary, or point 
of intersection where the said States join each other, and such other boundaries of the 
said States as are necessary to accuracy in re-fixing and establishing the same, are 
ready, under your assistance, to proceed with the work ; and looking to your expe- 
rience for the mode or instructions by wliich the field operations are to be conducted, 
ask you to furnish '-a detailed plan" thereof for the approval of the board, and ac- 
complishment of tlie purposes of our respective States. 

Permit us further to add, that if found necessary to accuracy in ascertaining the 
above point, it is our purpose to refix such stones as may be broken or lost with new 
stones or monuments, particularly at the following points, viz : 
1st, The beginning of the curve or north end of the tangent line. 
2d. The meridian of the curve between Delaware and Maryland. 
3d. The point or place of intersection of the due north line and said curve, being 
the point of intersection of the three States; and 

4th. The north end of the aforesaid due north line, or intersection of said line with 
the east and west line of Mason and Dixon, being "a parallel of latitude fifteen Eng- 
lish statute miles south of the most southern part of the city of Philadelphia," and the 
boundary of Pennsylvania and Maryland on the north. 

Rcspe(rtfully, 

II. G. S. KEY, 
Commissioner on the part of Maryland. 

JOSHUA P. EYRE, 
Commissioner on the part of Pennsylvania. 

GEO. READ RIDDLE, 
Commissioner on the part of Delaware. 



(C. 



Newark, Delaware, 

November 15, 1849, 



.\ 



Gentlemen: — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, on the 12th inst., of 
your joint communication of that dale, requesting me to presenl, for the approval of 
your board, a detailed plan of operations for the ascertainment of the boundary or point 



8 

where the Stales of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware join each other, and svich 
other boiiiularies of the said Stales as are necessary to accuracy in re •fixing' and estab- 
lishing ilie same. Having, in company with your board, made an examination of a 
portion of tlie boundaries extending from the noilh-east corner of Marylan I, two or 
three miles south of the tangent point, or point of contact of liie peninsular line with 
the periphery of the circle of twelve miles radius from the centre of New Casde, I 
now rcspecihilly submit to 5'()u the following sngsjestions : 

It appears that the junction of the boundaries of the throe Slates, is at the northern 
inlerseiMKMi of the above named circle with the meridian line running due south I'rom 
the iiorili east corner of Maryland, and that the said meridian line again intersects the 
circle at a point one niile and seven hundred and ninety-three yards and three-tenths 
of a f<iiti due south of the preceding point. This last mentioned point is the tangent 
point. (»r point of contact of the peninsular line with the said circle. 

If this tangent point can be identified with certainty upon the ground, having (he di- 
rection (if the tangent line, well marked by monuinenls already found, the portion of 
the cir( le in question can, very readily, be traced and continued, until its cord shall 
coincide with the meridian line already named, which will give the point required. 

If the stone which was originally placed to mark the tangent point is missing, it will 
be desirable to find tliat point, and replace the stone monument upon it, as a point of 
beginning to trace the curve. This may be done by prolonging the direction of the 
langeni line deduced from any two monuments found upon it, until the direction of the 
line penpendicular to it, shall pass through the centre of the circle of twelve miles 
radius, which is understrooil to be the steeple of the court house at New Castle; or 
this tanjient point, and also the point of junction of the three States, may be fixed by 
prolonging trigonometrically the true meridian direction from the north-east corner of 
Marylaiul due south, until the required distances, obtained I'rom the original surveys of 
Mason and Dixon, of three miles and nine hundred and ninety-nine and nine tenths 
yards, and five miles and thirty-three yards from the said north-east corner of Mary- 
land, sliall be reached. 

The meridian direction must, in that cnse, be obtained by astronomical observations 
with a transit instrument and good chronometers, and the triangulation be executed 
with a good theodolite, adapted to nice geodetic operations, all of which I already have 
at my command. 

But the first step in the operation I conceive to be, to cause a rapid experimental 
survey to be made with the chain and small transit theodolite, that shall lay down all 
the monuments now existing, from some point one or two miles south of the tangent 
point, lo the north-east corner of Maryland. When this survey is plotted, we shall be 
enabled lo shew all the monuments now existing on the ground, and by comparing their 
distanr-es apart, with those given in the notes oi survey of Mason and Dixon, to ascer- 
tain what monuments, if any, are missing; and then we shall be enabled to ascertain 
likewise, with precision, according to the most applicalile of the methods above sug- 
gested, the points they should occupy, and hence proceed lo erect them under your 
smmediatp su[)ervision. 

If it meet your approbation, we will proceed at once with the preliminary survey. 

I remain, oeniiemen, 

Very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

J. D. GRAHAM, 
Lf. Col. Topographical Engineers. 

To Messrs. H. G. S. Key, Joshua P. Eyre, Geo. Head Riddle, Commissioners, &c. 
&c., &c. 



(I).) 



Newark. D' lawark, 

Novfinbcr 15, 1849. 



e 



To Lf. Col. .T. D. Graham, 

United States Topoo^raphical Corps of Engineers : 

Sifj: — We liavp (Inly rereivetl and consiilpred yonr comninnicaiidii of this (lay, in 
i('|)Iv lit ours of the iwelfih Instant, dated at Wilmintflon, and takr- pli^asure in sayinj^, 
thai we concur in yonr views anil plans for the operations iieces.-^ary to the pur[)ose3 
of i>nr respective Stales. 

'J'iie f^vienl of work intimated in yonr communication, is about what we presumed 
was imiispeiisahle to accuracy, from our early examination of the archives of our 
Stales, connected wiih the operations of Messrs. Mason and Hixon, and the observa- 
tions we had made on a previous examination of much of th(! lines that mijjht b(! the 
field (if our labors; and tliat the main prtinls may be so marked wilh a view lo future 
per Ml lency, we projiose to mark wilh stones or monumenls as follows : 

1. The taiiirenl point, or nordi f^ut\ of the tangent line, shall be marked with the 
leliirs 'I'AiNGH^N'I'. and wiih the letter M on the side next to the Slate of Maryland, 
ami the letter D on the side next to the Slate of Dtdaware. 

2. 'i'he meridian of the curve shall bi; marked, on die side next to the Slate of Mary- 
land, with the letter M. and shall be oval on that side; and shall be marke 1, on the 
side n>\t to the State of Delaware, wiih ihe letter D. 

3. I'he point or pla<;e of intersection of the due n trth line and the curve — being ihe 
p liiil of intersection of the three Slates — shall be marked wilh a sioneoftriaiii/idar shape, 
a'l i ill' letters M, P, and D, on the sides towards the respective Siales of Maryland, 
P 'ii:is\ Ivatiia and Delaware, and also wilh the names of the commissioners on some 
side thereof. 

4. The north end of the aforesaid due north line, or interseciion of raid line with 
the east and west liae of Ma-^on and Dixon, beiuij ihe boundary of Pennsvlvania and 
Maryland on llie north, shall be marked as folio. vs : 0:i the sides next lo the Siaie of 
Mai \ laud with the letter M, and on the sides next lo the State of Pennsylvania, wilh 
the letter P. 

We also propose, that all the said stones, or monnnvnts, shall have lS4t9 i- 
scribed on some side thereof, and be fixed at least four icet deep in the ground, i,l 
shall siiow at least tliiriy inches above the oronnd. 

We beg leave further, most respectfully to siiiiiii si. that the progress of your opera- 
tions miy present modifications, whi(di will be considered, by you and ourselves, wilh 
due n gard lo the objects to be attained. 

We have the honor to he. 

Respectfully votir«, 

II. O. S. KEY, 
Comuiisdoncr on ihf part vf Mar^JamU 

JOSHUA p. EYKE, 

Commissicmer on the. f>nrt of I'ennsyloanict, 

(JIO. KEAD RIDDLE, 
Commissioner on the part of IJeluicare, 



ll 



(E.) 

COL. GKAIIAM^S REPOllT TO THE COMMISSIOKERS. 



Washingtgn, Fvbruary 21^ 1 S'O. 

To Messrs. H. G. S, Key, Joshua P. Eyre and George Read Riddle, Connms- 
missioners for adjusting and re fixing ctrtuin parts of the boundaries of the 
States of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware : 

Gentlemen : — Having been invited by yon, in November last, to conduct llie sur- 
veys and examinations necessary to the elucidation and adjustment of certain portions 
of the conterminous boundaries of your respective States, known as "Mason and 
Dixon's line," for which purpose you were appointed commissioners by the Governors 
of those States, under authority of recent legislative enactments, I have the honor now, 
in pursuance of a conference with you upon the subject, to lay before you a report, 
shewing all thai has been done in the field, and which will serve to shew, and enable 
you to decide, what more ought to be done, by authority of further legislation, to 
complete the demarcation of the boundaries of two of these conterminous Stales j 
namely, Pennsylvania and Delaware. 

As soon as the maps shewing the surveys we have already made, can be completed, 
which I understand you v/ish to lay before your respective State authorities with as 
little delay as possible, I propose to make a more full report, embracing such notices 
as will present a general view of the scientific operations of Messrs. Mason and 
Dixon, and of their predecessors, in tracing the various lines which now constitute 
important portions of the boundaries of those States. This report will be duly com- 
municated to you when completed. 

In pursuance of authority from the bureau of topographical engineers, I repaired, 
on the 30th of October last, to Annapolis, to confer with the Governor of Mar} land, 
in reference to the duty which relates to the verification of certain points in the boun- 
dary between the States of Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, and to investigate 
the notes of Mason and Dixon, which were understood to be in the archives of the 
State of Maryland. 

These documents, together with the articles of agreement between Charles Lord 
Baltimore, and the heirs and successors of William Penn, of the 1 0th day of May, 
1732, and of the subsequent agreement between Frederick Lord Baltimore, and 
Thomas and Richard Penn, the surviving heirs of AVilliam Penn, entered into the 4th 
of July, 1700, and also the records of the proceedings of their commissioners and 
surveyors, from lime to time dulj^ appointed, all in manuscript, were placed at my 
disposal by his Excellency, Philip F. Thomas, Governor of Maryland. These manu- 
scripts embrace a period of near thirty-seven years; namely, from iMay lOih, 1732, 
to the end of the year 1768. From them such extracts and brief minutes were made 
as were deemed requisite to a proper understanding of the lines to be examined. 

The articles of agreement finally entered into between the parties, and their instruc- 
tions to their commissioners, define clearly the lines of boundary between the then 
provinces of Maryland and Pennsylvania, in conformity to the memorable decree of 
Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, pronounced the 15th of May, 1750, which set at rest 
for a time, and was the basis of the final settlement of a dispute that had lasted many 
years, between the proprietaries, as well as the border inhabitants, of these two pro- 
vinces. 

Without quoting these articles at length, it will be sufficient here to state that the 
boundary between the two provinces w^as thus required to be run, namely : to begin 
at cape Ilenlopen, and run a line due west to a point midway between that cape and 
the shore of Chesapeake bay. 



n 

From this middle point aline was to be run northerly in snch direction, that it 
should be tangent to a circle whose centre was decided to be tlie centre of" the court 
house ■■ at New Castle, and whose radius should be twelve En;2;lisli statute miles, mea- 
siu'ed horizontal!)-. From the tangent point of contact of the northerly line with the 
periphery of the circle, the line was to be continued due north until it shoidd reach a 
point fifteen Enjrhsh statute miles, measured horizontally, south of the parallel of lati- 
tude of the most southern point of tjje city of Philadelphia.t 

From the northern extremity of llie said due north line, a line was to be run due 
west, continuing upon a parallel of latitude until the western limits of Maryland and 
Pennsylvania should respectively !)e reached, wliich, in the case of Pennsylvania, was 
defined to be five degrees of longitude west of the river Delaware. 

The conclusion of the eiglitii article of the agreement of 1732, which is incorpor- 
ated into the instructions of Lord Baltimore and John, Tliomas and Richard Penn, to 
their respective commissioners, dated the 12th of May, 1732, and repeated in all the 
subsequent instructions, provides that *'in case said north line from the tangent of the 
circle of Nevv Castle, shall break in upon the said circle, in such case, so much of the 
said circle as shall be cut off by the said line, shall belong to, and be part of the county 
of New Castle. "t 

In pursuance of the decree of 1750, commissioners and surveyors were appointed 
to run the required lines. In 1751, a line was traced due west from cape Ilenlopen 
to the shore of Chesapeake bay, and its length ascertained, by measuring with a 
•chain, to be sixty-nine miles and two hundred and ninety-eight perches. At the dis- 
tance of sixty-six miles and twenty-four and one-half perclies from the point of be- 
ginning, Slaughter's creek was reached, and here Lord Baltimore's commissioners 

* See the old parchment containinij the agreement of May, 1760, and the instructions from the 
commissioners to the surveyor.-:, given at Nevv <.'aslle, the 7lh of November, 1761, contained in the 
proceedings of the commissioners, in nianuscrijjt, at Annap,)lis. I'hey specify the exact point for 
the centre of the circle, as well as the length of^ and manner of tracing out the radius. 

i" The following is an extract from tlie ihe proceedings of the coinmissioners, convened at Phila- 
delphia, under date of December 3, 1763^ 

"The commissioners met accordmg to adjournment. 

'•Present as yesterday, and also Benjamin Chew, Esq., ancthrr of the commissioners for Penn- 
sylvania. 

"The commissioners having, in consequence of their agreement of yesterday, requested the 
mayor and recorder, and some of the persons appointed to lay out lots and regulate water courses in 
the streets of the said city, which otHce requires that tUey should be men well acquainted with the 
exact situation of the several streets, and the dimensions of the several squares and lots of ground 
therein, to shew them which is the most southern part thereof. The said mayor and recorder, and 
two of the said regulators, to wit: .Alderman Rhoadcs and Mr. Jacob Lewis, went with the commis- 
sioners and Messrs. Mason and Dixon, to the street called (^edar or South street, the south side of 
which street the said mayor, recorder and regulators informed the commissioners is, and as they 
verily believe ever has been, from the time the said city was llrst laid out, deemed and taken to be 
the southern boundary aikl limit thereof, and to which boundary the mayor, recorder and aldermen of 
the said city have constantly exercised jurisdiction; by wliich information, and a view of some old 
deeds that were produced l>y persons possessed of lots bounding on ihc said Cedar street, and of a 
plat of the said city, the commissioners were all sati.-fied that the north wall of a house at this time 
occupied by Thomas Plumsted and Joseph Huddle, is the most southern part of the said city of 
Philadelphia. The commissioners then adjourned to Monday morning, at ten o'clock. 

J. RIDOUT, JAMES HAMII/rON, 

JNO. LEEDS, RICHARD PETERS, 

JOHN BARCLAY, W.M. COLEMAN, 

GEO. STEUART, • JNO. EWING." 

DAN. OF ST. THOS. JENIFER, 

Note 2. — The latitude of the north wall of this house, occupied in 17G3 by Thomas Plum.sted 
and Joseph Huddle, was determined by Messrs. .Mason and Dixon, from astronomical observations, 
in 1763-64, with a zenith sector, to be 39° 56' 29" . 1. The point, fifteen English statute miles due 
south of that parallel, was computed by .Messrs. Mason and Dixon, to be in latitude 39° 43'"Mii. 
From our knowledge of the dimensions and figure of the earth, we should at this day compute it to 
be in latitude 39° 43' 26" .3. 

t It seems to have been doubtful, when these articles were drawn, whether the direction of the 
tangent line would be north-westerly or north-easterly from the middle point of the west line run from 
cape Henlopen to the shore of the Chesapeake bay. 



12 

contondcil the line should cud: I)iil (hose on llie part of tlic; Pcnnsi insisted that h 
should l)e extended to the eastern ver<fe of the hay. 

In April, 1751, Cliarles Lord Baliimcn-e died, and the demarcatit)n of the houndary 
was suspended. His heir and sneeessor, Fredericdv I>ord Baltimore, ra'fsed olijections 
to tiie deereeof 1750. a!id deternvined to resist its e.xerntion, uliieh l)rouur|iton a ne\T con- 
troversy hetween the proprietaries. Before a decree was had upon it, an agreement 
was entered into hetween the parties on the 4th of .Tiily, 17(5!'. which in fact adoj)ted 
the points that liad been previously settled hv the agreement of Mav KMh, 1732, and 
the decree of May 1750, as to the lines defining the lionndarics. The proceedings of 
the former commissioners were also recognized by (his agreen)onI. and confirmed by 
it so far as they were conclusive. Cape Ilenlopen was determined to be the point 
previously fixed upon as marking this cape, and the termination of the due west Ifne 
from tiience across the pcninsuhi, was decided to be that which had been contended 
for by tlie commissioners of Pennsylvania ; and the middle point of that line, from 
whence the tangent line was to start, was decided to be thirty -four mfles and three 
hundred and nine perches from the point of beginnifTg at cape Ilenlopen. 

x\t the middle point of this peniiTSular line, a boundary stone was to be planted at 
their joint expense, marked on the south and west with the arms of Lord Baldmore, 
and on the north and east with the arms of the Penn family, graven theron. 

Commissioners were required to be appointed by each ol' the parlies within tiiirty 
days after the execution of tliis agreement, to carry its provisioiTs into efTeet. This 
was accordingly done, and the said comnjissioners met at New Casde the 19lh of 
November, 1760, and immeihately entered upon the discharge of the duties committed 
to them. 

'I'he lines, as they were traced and approved by the commissioners, were marked 
and defined by posts of cut stone about four feel long and ten to twelve inches square, 
placed at the distance of one mile apart. These stones were p'-ep^red in Enghmd, 
and sent over to America from time to time, as the lines progressed. Every fiflli mile 
stone was engraved with the arms of liOrd Baltimore on the side facing towards Mary- 
land, and with the arms of the Penn family on the side facing towards Pennsylvania. 

'J'he agreement of 173.2, stipulated, and it was ordered in the decree, by the Lord 
High Chanceller. that the hounds should he marked with the arms of the proprietaries 
on the sides facing towards their respective territories. 

The other mile stones were engraved witii the letter M on the sides facing Mary- 
land, and with the letter P on the side facing Pennsylvania. 

From November, 17G0, to the latter part of Octo!>er, 1763, the commissioners and 
surveyors were laboring in attempts to trace out tlie ra liu^ (?f twelve miles, and- the 
tangent line from the middle point of the west line across th:^ p.-ninsula. The measure- 
ments were all made with a chain of sixty-six feet, divided into one hundred links, 
except alone that a triangulation was extended a short distance from the court houre 
at New ('aslle, in rnnnnig out the radius, in order that the true point of departure 
should be the steeple or centre of that buiMing, which coidd not be reached with the 
chain. 'J'he surveyors were reqtrired to compare their chains with a standard mea- 
sure as often as niigiit be necessary to reduce the (diaining to accurate n^easure. 

Several experiments were made to approximate to a proper junction of the radius 
of twelve miles, with a true tangent line, from the middle post. In this protvacied, 
tedious and expensive operation, vistas were required to he ojjencd along all the lines 
traced through the dense forest that then overspread the country. 

'i'he rectilinear directions v.-ero ail,enij)ied to be preserved by setting up poles or 
staves in line, as the work progressed. 

As late as the 21st of October, 1763, no pra(-tical solution of this problem had been 
effected, although, as was afterwards ascertained, a close approximation to the true 
tangent point had been reached. 

M 

A post marked ^^, had been planted at the extremity of a line traced for a radius, 

west from the court house at New Castle ; and two other posts, one marked ^|y 
and the other marked TP, had been planted at the northern extremities of lines traced 



13 

for a tanffent. Eacli of these three posts was supposeil, when planted, to approximate 
very near to the true tanfrcnt point. * 

In the prooee(lin<rs of llie commissioners under date of October 22, 1763, we find 
the followinf^ minute, viz: 

•'The eommissiducrs having taken into consideration the ajrreement entered into by 
them at tlieir last meeting, to represent to tlieir respective constituents what lines had 
heen alread}' run, afler what manner, and what had i)een the issue, in order that they 
might give tiie necessary directions for running and ascertaining the tangent line, the 
Pennsylvania commissioners informed the Maryland commissioners that they had lately 
received a leitcr from the proprietors of Pennsylvania, dated the 10th of August last, 
acquainting them that they and Lord Baltimore had agreed with two mathematicians 
or surveyors to come over and assist in running the lines agreed on in the original 
articles, who were to embark for Philadelphia the latter end of August last, and that 
their arrival might soon be expected. Whereupon, the commissioners were of opinion 
that it was better to delay making the representation to their constituents, according to 
their former proposal, until the arrival of the said mathematicians. 

"•'['he commissioners then adjourned to the 30lh of November next, to meet at the 
city of Philadelphia ; but agreed that if the matlicmaticians s!u)uld arrive long before 
the '.]Olh of Novem!)er, the meeting should be on sucli other earlier day as the respec- 
tive Governors l)y letter should agree on, and at any otiier place than the city of Phila- 
delphia, if it should be more convenient for the entering upon their work." 

Under date of December 1st, 1763, at a meeting of the commissioners, it is noted 
'diat the articles of airreement were read between Lord Baltimore ai\d Tiiomas and 
Richard Penn, and Charles \Lison and Jeremiah Dixon, bearing date the 1th day of 
August last, directed to their commissioners ; also, a commission to the said conimis- 
•siouers, recommending it to them to take to their aid and assistance the said Mason 
and Dix')n. and employ them to mark, run out, setde, fix and determine all such parts 
•of the circle, marks, lines and boundaries as are mentioned in the several articles of 
agreenient or commissions, and are not yet completed. Likewise a paper of hints 
given by Dr. Bevis and Mr. Harris to Lord Baltimore, and Thtunas and Richard 
Penu. referred and recommended to the consideration of their respective commissioners, 
and then adjourned to to-morrow, &c., <fec. 

Thus we are introduced to Messrs. Mason and Dixon, who superseded the former 
■surveyors in the employment of marking out these boundary lines. They immediately 
■entered upon their duties, and were employed in tracing and marking the several lines 
already described- until the 26lh of December, 1767, when they were honorably dis- 
charged. Of the work of their predecessors, .the running of the due west line from 
cape Ilenlopen to its terininaliou midway between said cape and the shore of Chesa- 
peake bav, the trace and iReasurement of the radius of twelve miles from New Castle 
court house^ and tlie determination of the tangent point in the circle, only were 
accepted as settled. Tlie lines traced by their predecessors in tlieir attempts to run 
the tangent line, a line of eighty two miles nearly in length, were however, of great 
aid to Messrs. Mason and Dixon in finally establisliing tiiat line. In tracing it by aid of 
the transit instrument, througii a vista which they had opened in 1761, which was as- 
sumed by calculation to be the true tangent line, Messrs. Mason and Dixon constantly 
«ote how far, at every five mile post, their line passed from the posts previously set 
hy their predecessors. 

In their minutes of survey they say : '-'• November ]Oth, 1764. Produced die line to 
the point shown us (in the direction of the radius of twelve miles from New Casde, 
mentionetl in the minutes of the 25lh and 27lh of August,) to be the tangent point 
settled by the former surveyors, and measisred the distance of our line from tire said 
point, and found it was sixteen feet seven inches to the eastward of tlie said point. 

• The line weet from the north extremity of the due north line was not jM-olonged as far as five 
dcRr?os of longitude from die Delaware by Mason and Dixon. On reiiehini? a point two hundred 
and thirty miles eighteen chains and twenty-one links west of the exlrcniity of the due north line, 
their further prog^rctis was arretted by the Indians. 



14 

** We continued our line fifly^wo and a-half yards and then it was opposite the posv 

T 

marked yjj and found we were sixteen feet from the said post eastward. 

'• We also continued the line forty-one and a-half yards farther, and then w^e were 
opposite the post marked T P, and then we measured the distance of our line from the 
said post and found it was fifteen feet two and a half inches to the eastward. 

^^ November 12. Sent two expresses, viz : one to his Excellency Horatio Sharpe,. 
Esq., Governor of Maryland, and the other to tlie Hon. James Hamilton, Esq., to- 
acquaint them we finislied our second line on Saturday last. 

" November 1.3. From the data in the minute of the 27th of August we computed 
hov/ far the tnie tangent line wowld he distant from the post shev/n us to be the tan- 
gent point, and found it would not pass one inch to the westward or the eastward. 

"•On measurinsf the ano-le formed liy our last line and the radius from New Castle, 
it was so near a right angle that on a mean from our lines the above mentioned post is 
the true tangent point. 

"From the whole we conclude that the offset posts in our second line, marked M 
D, are (as near as practicable,) in the trite tangent line." 

From the record of proceedings of the commissioners the following is an extract : 

"Saturday, November 24:ih, 1764. 

"The commissioners met according to adjournment. 

" Present as yesterday, [namely : Hero. Sharpe, John Leeds, John Barclay, Datr. 
of St. Thomas Jenifer: Benjamin Chew, John Ewing, Edward Shipping, Jr., and 
Thotnas WiHing.] 

"The commissioners having resumed the considerations of yesterday. 

" Agreed, That the post set up by Messrs. Mason and Dixon, and by them marked 
West, shall be and be deemed and accounted fifteen miles south of the parallel of the 
most southern bounds of the city of Philadelphia, and that Messrs. Mason and Dixon- 
shall be instiucted immediately to proceed in running the west line directed by the 
articles from the said post till it reaches the river Susquehannah, where an observation: 
shall be made by them. 

'•"Agreed also. That the post set up in the extremity of the radius of twelve miles 

from New Caslte, marked yy^ shall be and be deemed and accounted to be the true 

tangent point, and that the surveyors shall proceed to run the north line and such part 
of the circle as fiills to the westward of said line, according to the articles, from the 
said point, as soon as they have run the said west line to the river Susquehannah, 

""Agreed also. That the posts set up by Messrs. Mason and Dixon at the eastern 
extremeties of the oflsets made from the line they first run from the point marked 
Middle, and by them marked M D. shall be and be deemed and accounted to stand 
in the direction of, and to mark and describe the tangent line. 

'''• Agreed lastly, 'i'hat as soon as the surveyors shall have run. the said west line to 
the river Susquehannah. and the said north line and part of the circle, stones shall be 
set up marked with the arms of the Lord Baltimore on one side, and the arras of the 
proprietors of Pennsylvania on the other, as tlie articles require and direct,, along the 
said, tangent line^ in the places where the ofi'set posts stand therein, at the tangent 

; M 

point marked yyj in several points of the petiphery of the circle, in the north line,. 

at the point where the said north line shall intersect the said west line, and along the 
said west line to the river Susquehannah, to be and remain as marks and boundaries- 
forever, between the said province of Maryland and the counties of New Castle^ 
Kent and Sussex, on Delaware, and between the said province of Maryland and tlie 
province of Pennsylvania, as far as the river SiLsquehamiah." 



15 

The commissioners then agreed lo give instructions pursuant to tlie foregoing agree- 
ment and did so : and then adjourned over to the 16lh of June next, then to meet at 
Christiana bridge. 

*' Christiana Bridge, June 16, 1765. 

"The commissioners met according to their adjoiunment of November 24th, last," 
&c., &c. 

"Commissions were read from the proprietors, prolonging the time for runnino- the 
lines to the 31st December, 1765," &;c., &c. 

"Adjourned to to-morrow morning, ten o'clock." 

"Christiana Bridge, June 17, 1765. 

"The commissioners met," &c., &c. 

"The surveyors produced to the commissioners their minute hooks, which hcing 
compared, examined and found to agree, it appears tlioreby that in pursuance of the 
instructions given ihein the 24lh day of November last, they have extended the west 
line to llie west side of the river Susquehannah, run a north line from the tangent point 
to intersect the said west line, and also described such part of tlje circle round New 
Castle as falls westward of said north line. 

"The commissioners approving of the lines run by the said surveyors, agreed to 
have a stone (the only one they have at present, on which are graven the arms of the 
respective proprietors,) immediately hxed at the said tangent point; another stone at 
the point where the above mentioned west line and north line intersect each other; 
one other stone in the said nortb line, witiiout the periphery of the circle; one at the 
point wbere ibe north line and circle intersect; and tliree others at different plases in 
the said circle. Tlie six last-mentioned stones to remain only until others more proper 
for the purpose, and with the arms of the right honorable the Lord IJallimore, and the 
honorable proprietors of Pennsylvania, graven thereon, can be procured. 

"And then adjourned to to-morrow morning." 

"Newark, June 18, 1765. 

"The commissioners met according to adjournment. Present as yesterday; and 
went and fixed a stone, marked with the arms of the lord proprietary of Maryland on 
the west, and the arms of the proprietors of Pennsylvania on the east side of it, in 
the tangent point; and also set up stones at the other places, according to their agree- 
ment of yesterday ; after whicii they gave Messrs. Mason and Dixon instructions to 
proceed with the running of the west line westward of the Susquehannah, as far as the 
provinces of Maryland and Pennsylvania are settled and inhabited, unless obliged to 
desist on account of severe weather, or they should before that lime receive instruc- 
tions to desist from their work. 

"Tlie commissioners then adjourned lo meet," &c., &c. 

"Thursday, November 20^ 1766. 
"The commissioners met," &c., &c. 

"Present as yesterday, [namely: John Barclay, Dan. of Si. Thomas Jenifer, .1. 
Beale Bordley: William Allen, Benjamin Chew, John Ewing and Thomas Willing.] 

* * s * ^- « * * * 

"Messrs. Ewing and Barclay report to the other commissioners, that in pursuance 
of their agreement, by their letters of the 5lU and 22(1 of October last, thirty -one 
stones have been set up at a mile's distance each, in the tangent line, (in the places 
where posts had been fixed in the said line by Messrs. Mason and Dixon,) from the 
fiftieth mile stone, set up formerly, to the tangent point ; each five mile stone being 
marked witli the arms of the right honorable Lord Baltimore on the west side, and the 
arms of the honorable proprietors of Pennsylvania on the east, and the other interme- 



16 

diate stones, with the letter M on the west side and the letter P on the east. Ana the 
better to (hslinjjuish and ascertain the tangent point, another stone, marked with the 
arms of Lord Baltimore on the west side, and of the proprietaries of Pennsylvania 
on the east, haili been set up at the south side of the stone fixed in the said tangent 
point, by the commissioners on the 18th of June, 1765. 

"That one stone, marked with the letter VI on the west side, and the letter P on 
east, hath been set up in the arc of the circle; and three stones, marked as the latter, 
have been set up in tlie north line from the tangent point, in the places where Messrs. 
Mason and Dixon had set up mile posts in those lines : 

''That sixty-four stones iiave been set up in the west line, the first of which st-inds 
at the distance of one mile to tiie westward of the stone fixed by the commissioners, 
on the 18th of June, 1765, in the point where the west and north lines intersect, and 
the others at the same distance from each other, except at the end of sixty-four miles, 
where a proper stone was wanting, and is to be fixed at a future time, each five mile 
stone having the arms of the Lord B tltimore graved thereon, on the south side, and 
the arms of the proprietors of Pennsylvania on the north, and the intermediate stones 
marked with the letter M on the south, and with the letter P on the north side." 

The rest of the proceedings of this meeting relate to the completion of the west 
line, and to obtaining the consent of the Indians to its being continued, &c. . &,c. 
Then the commissioners adjourned to meet at Chestertovvn, Maryland, on the 19lli of 
March, 1767, or such earlier or later day as the commissioners may by letter ajiree 
on. Their next meeting did not, however, for reasons stated, take place until the 1 6th 
day of June, 1767. On that day the commissioners met. Sir William Johnson, his 
majesly's agent for Indian affairs, had ol)tained the consent of the Indians to the tra- 
cing of the west line to its western extremity, that is to say, till it should reacli to a 
distance of five degrees of longitude west from the river Delaware. 

On thf 18lh June, 1767, the commissioners met and gave to the surveyors tlieir 
instructions for continuing the trace of the west line to five degrees of longitude west 
from the river Delaware, in the parallel of the said west line, and cautioning them in 
regard to a conciliatory and proper conduct towards the Indians. 

•'Friday, December 25, 1767. 

"The commissioners met according to adjournment," Sic, &c. 

^'The surveyors' books were read, compared and found to agree, by which it ap- 
pears that they iiave extended the parallel of latitude, agreeable to the instructions 
given them by the commissioners on the 18th day of June last, to the distance of 
two hundred and thirty miles, eighteen chains, twenty-one links from the beginning 
of said line, and two hundred and forty-four miles, thirty-eiglit chains, thirty six links 
from the river Delaware, near to a path called the Indian war path, but that they were' 
prevented by the Indians deputed to attend them, by Sir William Johnson, from con- 
inuing the said line to the end of five degrees of longitude, (the western limits of the 
province of Pennsylvania.) which, in the latitude of the said line, they find, and the 
commissioners agree, to be two hundred and sixty-seven miles,* forty-eight chains 
and ninety links, the saiti Indians alleging that they were instructed by their chiefs, in 
council, not to suffer the said line to be run to the westward of the said war path," 
&c. , (fee, &c. 

On Saturday, December 26th, 1767, the coinmissioners met and approved the ccn- 
duct of the surveyors, in desisting from the running of the parallel of latitude, upon 
the opposition made thereto by the Indians, to the fidl extent of five degrees of longi- 
tude from the river Delaware, pursuant to their former instructions. 

After describing the work thus far done, the commissioners agreed to discharge 
Messrs. Mason and Dixon from their service, they having finished the lines they were 
employed and sent over by the proprietors to run. under the direction of the commis- 

* From our belter knowledge of the dimeiisioiis ami (ii;ure of the earth, we should, at this day, 
compute these live di'grees (if longitude to he equal to two hundnd and sixty-six and th:rty-oae 
hundrcddis miles, or two hundred and sixty-six miles, twenty-four chains and eighty links. 

J. D. (;. 



17 

sioners, of which they gave the^aid Mason and Dixon n ;;, l)ut agreed to ai ike ihein 
satisfaction for a draft or plan they were instructed to pi jiire. 

« * * * * *; -* * « 

The commissioners a(!jonrned to meet at Chestertown, Maryland, tli' •22d day of 
March, 1768, or such otlier day as they may I)y letter atrrce upon. 

After several meetings and adjonrnmonts of the commissioners, the proceeuinirs of 
which are not necessary to be noticed here, they met on 

Saturday, November 5, 17<58. 

When "Mr. Ewing and Mr. Bordiey informed ilie other commissione; -■ that, 
agreeable to the desire of the commissioners, they hav ; i-et tip two stones, thai is to 
say, Mr. Bordiey, has put up one at the miild/e of the diie west line, run from Fen- 
wick's island [cape Ilenlopen.] across the |)enins\da to Chesapeake bay, in the place 
of the post marked "middlk." 

" Mr. Ewing has put up the other in the due west line, run in the paralljl of 
latitude fifteen English statute miles south of the most southern p'rtof the city of 
Philadelphia, at the intersection of the said west line with the meridi m run from the 
tangent point; the said stones having the arms of Lord Baltimore irrwcd on the south 
and west sides thereof, and the arms of the proprietors of Pennsvivunia on the north 
and east sides thereof," &c. , &;c., &;c. 

The following is an extract from the final report of the rommissioners, made to the 
proprietaries of the two provinces, bearing date the 9lh of Noveni!)pr. 1768, taken from 
the original records at Annapolis. It embraces a notice of all tlie lines and bounda- 
ries run out, fixed, and determined, under their direction, as well as thoes run 'lUt by 
their predecessors, and adoptet! as true boundaries, viz : 

" l>sL We have completely run out. settled, fixed, and determined, a straight line, 
beginning at the exact middle of the due east and west line mentioned in the articdes 
of the fourth of July, one thousand seven hundred and sixtv, to have been rim by 
other commissioners, formerly appointed by the said Oharh^s Lord Baltimore and the 
said Thomas Penn and Richard Penn. across the peninsula from cape Henlopen to 
Chesapeake bay, the exact middle of which said east and west line, is at the distance 
of thirty-four miles and three hundred and nine pc ; , s from the verge of the main 
ocean, the eastern end of the said due east and west line ,• and that we have extended 
the said straight line eighty-one miles seventy eight chains and thirty links up the penin- 
sula until it touched and made a tangent to the western part of the periphery of a circle 
drawn at the horizontal distance of twelve English statute miles from the cenlre of the 
town of New Castle, and have marked, described and perpetuated the said straight 
or tangent line, by selling up and erecting one remarkable stone at the place of In-gin- 
ning thereof, in the exact middle of the aforesaid due east and west line, .?■ 'ordin'r to 
the angle made by the said due west line, and by the said tangent line ; v'licn. stone, 
on the inward sides of the same, facing towards the east and towards the north, hath 
the arms of the said Thomas Penn and Richard Penn graved thereon, and on tl;e out- 
ward sides of the same, facing towards the west and towards the south, hs'i. the arms 
of the said Frederick I^ord Baltimore graved thereon ; and have also eret - .! and set 
up in the said straight or tangent line, from the said place of beginning lu me lancrent 
point, remarkable stones at the end of every mile, each stone at the distance of or end 
of every five miles being particularly distinguished by having the arms of the said 
Frederick Lord Baltimore graved on the side thereof turning towards the west, and the 
arms of the said Thomas Penn and Richard Penn graved on the side thereof turning 
towards the east, and all the other intermediate stones are n.arked with the letter P. on 
the sides facing towards the east, and with the letter M. on the sides facing towards 
the west ; and have fixed in the tangent point a stone with the arms of the said Fred- 
erick Lord Baltimore graved on the side facing towards the west, and with the arras 
of the said Thomas Penn and Richard Peim graved on the side facing towaiu: the east. 

"2n(//j/. That from the end of the said straight line or tangent point, we have run 
out, settled, fixed and determined a due north line, of the length of five miles oile 
2 



18 

cliain and fifty links, to a parallel of latitude fifteen miles due south of the most south- 
ern part of the city of Philadelphia, which said due north line intersected the said cir- 
cle drawn at the distance of twelve English statute miles from the centre of the town 
of Now Castle, one mile thirty-six chains and five links from tiic said tanofent point, 
and that in order to mark and per|)etuate the said due north line, we have erected and 
set up one unmarked stone at tlie point where the said line intersects the said circle, 
three other stones at a mile distance from each other, graved with the letter P. on the 
sides fncinir the east, and the letter M. on the sides facing the west, between the said 
place of intersection of the said circle and the said parallel of latitude, and a third* 
stone at the point of intersection of the said north line and parallel of latitude, which 
last stone, on the sides fiicing towards the north and east, hath the arms of the said 
Thomas Pcnn and Richard Penn graved thereon, and on the sides facing towards the 
south and west hath the arms of the said Frederick Lord Baltimore graved thereon. 

" 3rf/»/. That we have run out, setded, fixed and determined such part of the said 
circle as lies westward of the said (hie north line, and have marked and perpetuated 
the same by setting up and erecting four stones in the periphery thereof, one of which, 
at the meridian distance of one mile from the tangent point, is marked with the letter 
P. on the east, and the letter M. on the west sides thereof. 

" Athly. That we have run out, settled, fixed and determined a due east and west 
line, beginning at the northern point or end of the said due north line, being the place 
of intersection of the said north line with the parallel of latitude, at the distance of 
fifteen English statute miles due south of the most southern part of the city of Phila- 
delphia, and have extended the said line two hundred and thirty milesf eighteen chains 
and twenty-one links due west from the place of beginning, and two hundred and 
forty four miles thirty-eight chains and thirty six links due west from the river Dela- 
ware, and should have continued the same to the end of five degrees of longitude, the 
western bounds of the Province of Pennsylvania, but the Indians woidd not permit 
MS. And that we have marked, described and perpetuated the said west line, by set- 
ting up and erecting therein, stones at the end of every mile, from the place of begin- 
ning, to the distance of one hundred and thirty-two miles, near the foot of a hill called 
and known by the name of Sideling hill, every five mile stone having on the side 
facing the north, the arms of the said Thomas Penn and Richard Penn graved thereon, 
and on the side facing the south, the arms of Frederick liOrd Baltimore graven there- 
on ; and the other intermediate stones are graved with the letter P. on the north side, 
and the letter M. on the south side : and that the country to the westward of Sideling 
hill being so very mountainous as to render it in most places extremely diflScult and 
expensive, and in some impracticable, to convey stones or boundaries which had been 
prepared and marked as aforesaid, to their proper stations, we have marked and 
described the said line from Sideling hill to the top of the Alleghany ridge, which di- 
vides the waters running into the rivers Potowmack and Ohio, by raising and erecting 
therein, on the tops of ridges and mountains over which the said line passed, heaps or 
piles of stones or earth, from about three and a half to four yards in diameter, at bot- 
tom, and from six to seven feet in height ; and that from the top of the said Alleghany 
ridge, westward, as far as we have continued the said line, we have set up posts at the 
end of every mile, and raised round each post heaps or piles of stones or earth, of 
about the diameter and height before mentioned. 

'•^Lastly. That we have, according to the said articles of agreement, made out, signed 
and sealed, a true and exact plan and survey, as well of the due east and west line, 
which was as aforesaid formerly run out by other commissioners, appointed under the 
before-mentioned articles of agreement, of the tenth day of May, one thousand seven 
hundred and thirty-two, and decree and subsequent order aforesaid, running across the 

•This is evidently an inadvertent error in the original manuscript. It should be a fourth stone, 
Ac. J D G. 

iThis distance of two hundred and thirty miles eighteen chains and twenty-one links is erroneously 
printed two hundred and eighty xaWea, &c., &c., in M'Mahon's History of Maryland, Vol. 1. See 
f. 46. J. D. G. 



19 

aforesaid peninsula from the verge of tho main ocean towards Chesapeake bay, but 
stopping in tho exact middle of the said peninsula, as of such parts of the said circle, 
lines, marks and boundaries as liavc been marked, run out, settled, fixed and deter- 
mined in manner aforesaid, by the respective commissioners who have been for that 
purpose apj)oiu{ed, subsequent to the before-mentioned articles of agreement of the 4th 
day of July, 1760, wbieii plan and survey we have hereunto annexed. 

"lu testimony whereof we have hereto set our hands and seals, at Chestertown, in 
the Province of Maryland, the 9th day of November, in the 9th year of the reign of 
our Sovereign Lord, George the Third, King of Great Britain, (fee, and in the year 
of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight." 

Then follows the certificate placed upon the map, recorded in the proceedings oC 
that date, and the whole is signed by 

IIOR'O SHARPE, WILL. ALLEN, 

J. RIDOUT, BENJAMIN CHEW, 

JNO. LEEDS, JOHN EWING. 

JOHN BARCLA\, EDW'D SHIPPEN, Jr., 

GEO. STEUART, THOS. WILLING. 

DAN. OF. ST. THOS. JENIFER, 

J. BEALE BORDLEY, 

I have been thus full in the extracts and minutes from the original manuscripts at 
Annapolis, because they appear necessary to a clear understanding of the line we were 
required to examine, and because wc shall have occasion to refer to many oi t1:e facts 
therein set fortii, as having an important relation to our own survey. 

On the 9th of November last I went to New Castle, and on the 10th to Philadel- 
phia, to obtain the instruments in depot there which were required for our surveys. 
On the r2th, having met your board in conference at Wilmington, Delaware, I was 
invited to prepare and present for your consideration and approval, a detailed plan of 
the field operations necessary to the accomplishment of the objects pointed out by you. 
I requested an opportunity of previously making a reconnoissance of the line and of 
the land-marks within the limits of the portion of boundary in question, which was 
assented to, and on the same day I accompanied the board to Newark, Delaware, 
which was decided on as the most convenient head-quarters of the Engineers during 
the field operations. 

The 13th and 14th of November were spent in making the proposed reconnoissances 
in company with your board. 

We proceeded to the north-east corner of Maryland, or point of intersection of the 
due north line with the parallel of latitude fifteen miles south of the parallel of the 
most southern limit of Philadelphia. This point is in a deep ravine, on the maro-in 
of a small brook, and near its source. The stone monument with the arms of Lord 
Baltimore and Thomas and Richard Penn graven thereon, which had been placed by 
commissioner Ewing, by order of the hoard of commissioners in 1768, to desio-nate 
this point, was missing.* From the tradition of the neighborhood, it appeared that 
some years ago, after it had fallen nearly prostrate from its place, owing to the en- 
croachment of the stream, upon whose margin it stood, some individual had taken it 
away for a chimney-piece. A stake was found firmly planted in the ground, which, 
we were informed by the neighbors near by, occupied its place. 

From this point we proceeded to the west, and found the first, second and third mile 
stones on the parallel of latitude, marked with the letter M. on the south, and the let- 
ter P. on the north sides, as described in the proceedings of the commissioners of 
boundary of that period. The first of these stones was much inclined in its posture, 
and somewhat infirm. 

We next proceeded to examine the line south from this corner, with the view of as- 
certaining if the stones at the intersection of the due north line with the periphery of 
the circle, and at the tangent point, were standing. We extended our examinations 

*See the proceedings of the Commissioners, under date of November 5tb, 1768, noticed at page 
17. 



20 

to the snnth, itpon tlio tan;:^cnt line, as far as the se?enty-nint!i mile stone from the 
" Middle Point" of the peninsidar line. Wc found a numl)er of stones on the line, 
some luininrkcd, which we supposed to be on the cirnnmferenee of the circle. With 
a radius of twelve miles, such a curve is so flat that it is difficult in walking over 
ground intersected with forest timber, fences and other obstructions, to distinjruish, 
without the aid of instruments, the deflections of the lines connecting monuments 
on its circumference nearly a third of a mile apart. Two of the monuments visited 
were graven on their east and west sides with the arms so often described in the pre- 
ceding documents. One of these was near .Tesse XJpdegrove's house, and the other in 
Mr. Reynolds' field, just north of the railroad track. 

This last I supposed to be the stone erected to mark the tangent point, as the arms 
were graven upon it, and it was much less than five miles, (indeed, not quite three 
miles,) from the preceding one, marked in a similar manner, to the southward. 'J'he 
nearest neighbors possessed no knowledge whatever of the particular point intended 
to be marked by this stone. A vague impression prevailed that it did not now occupy 
itsorio-inal position, but that it had been disturbed at some distant but unknown period. 
On questioning the individuals who entertained this impression as to their reasons, it 
was stated that within the recollection of some of the inhabitants, fragments of stone, 
similar both in qiiality and in cutting to the portion now seen above ground, lay strewed 
at its base. The inference was that the stone was fractured near its base when taken 
up, and that the fragments seen were originally a portion of it. An impression like- 
wise prevailed that the stone originally planted at the point of intersection of the due 
nordi line with the arc of the circle of twelve miles radius, corresponding at thi^i day 
with the true point of junction of the three States of Pennsylvania, Maryland and 
Delaware, was also missing. 

These were points that could only be settled by an accurate survey of the portion of 
the boundary involved in doubt or uncertainty, and then comparing the result with 
what ought to exist in conformity with the minute details contained in the recorded 
proceedings of the old commissioners and of their surveyors. 

This course was suggested to your board, and met your approbation. 

On consultation with the board, and by its approbation, 1 immiediately called to my 
assistance Lt. Thom, of the Topographical Engineers, and Mr. Charles Radziniinski, 
civil engineer, who were assisted by Mr. Henry C. Derrick as sub-assistant, and the 
requisite chain bearers, axemen, &c., and means of transportation on the line, having 
been provided by you, the survey was commenced on the 1 6th of November, with a 
portable transit instrument having an azimuth circle for measuring horizontal angles, 
divided to read by aid of the vernier to minutes, and a chain of one hundred feet, di- 
vided into one hundred links of a foot each, and a standard five feet rod, of wood, 
with which the chain was compared several times every day, in order to reduce the 
chaining to correct measure. 

It was necessary in this survey, and upon the maps designed to accompany it, that 
we should exhibit a portion of tbe tangent line, in order to lay down its true point of 
intersection with the due north line, for the purpose of testing the tangent point. Ac- 
cordingly we began at the stone marking the seventy-ninth mile of Mason and Dixon, 
reckoned from the middle point of the peninsular west line, having the letter M. en- 
graved on the west and the letter P. on the east side, and running northerly to a signal 
placed at the base of the eightieth mile stone, we thus obtained the direction of the 
tangent line. This eightieth mile stone is engraved with the arms of Lord Baltimore 
and the Penn family on the west and east sides respectively, precisely as described in 
the old records. Continuing in this initial direction, by the aid of the transit, our 
line passed immediately over the eighty-first mile stone of Mason and Dixon, engraved 
with the letter M. on the west and the letter P. on the east side, and also immediately 
over the next stone, which being engraved with the arms of Lord Baltimore on the 
west, and with the arms of the Penn family on the east side, was recognized to be the 
tangent point. 

We here deflected at a trial angle of 3° 32' to the eastward of the prolongation of 
our previous line, and pursuing accurately a straight course, we passed four stones on 



21 

our left, to which ofTsets were measured, at ri;:^ht angles to our line. The 1st, 2d and 
4th of these stonos were unmarked, but were cut in prismatic i"orra, and rounded at 
their tops. The 3d, which at the distance of five tliousand one hundred and fifty feet 
from the tangent stone, was 95. 3' feet perpendicular, and to the west from our line, 
was marked with the letter P on tlie east side, and the letter M on the west side, and 
is the stone mentioned in the report of the commissioners of November 9, 1768, as 
beinjj at the meridian distance of one mile from the tanirent point. 

These four stones were now recognized to be those described in the proceedings of 
the commissioners of June 17 and 18, 1765, already quoted, and in their aforesaid 
report, (see page 18,) as marking the arc of the circle, of twelve mdes radius, west of 
the due north line. It seems they were never substituted by stones bearing the arms 
of the proprietaries, as was contemplated to be done at some subsequent and con- 
venient period, when they were planted by the commissioners in 1765. 

At the distance of 7,743.7 feet from the tangent stone, we reached an unmarked 
stone. Our trial line terminated nine feet west of it, measured at right angles to the 
line we had run upon. This stone was recognized to be the point marked in 1765, 
for the intersection of the due north line with the periphery of the circle of twelve 
miles radius, and stood now for the point of junction of the three States. 

At every five hundred feet from the tangent stoue, and also opposite each of the 
stones on tlie arc of the circle to which offsets were made while running this experi- 
mental line, we had driven a wooden stake. These were regularly numbered from 
one to nineteen inclusive. We now computed the angle at which we should, at the 
tangent stone, have deflected to the right from the prolongation of the tangent line, to 
obtain the true direction, in a straight line, to the stone intended by Messrs. Mason 
and Dixon to mark the intersection of the due north line with the periphery of the cir- 
cle, and found it to be 3° 36' 09." . 

By computation we also determined the points, and drove a new line of stakes op- 
posite to the former ones, to mark this true direction, and determined the lengths of 
the offsets to the stones on the arc of the circle at right angles from the said new line. 

Taking up the new direction, obtained by computation, we continued our survey to 
the north, noting the topography, and carefullv measuring offsets to the right and left, 
to all houses, fences, streams and other remarkable o!)jects within a reasonable dis- 
tance, as indeed we had done from the beginning of the survey. 

Our line passed over three boundary stones marked with the letter P on the east, 
and with the letter M on the west sides, cnrrespondinor with the description given by 
the commissioners in their report, and by iMason and Dixon in their notes of survey, 
of the three stones on the due north line, north of the portion of the circle run out and 
fixed by them ; and at its termination, our line passed immediately over the stake al- 
ready mentioned as having been found l)y us in our reconnoissance of the 13th of 
November, which was said to mark the point where the old stone had stood, at the 
intersection of this due north line with the east and west line of Mason and Dixon, 
marked with the arms of Lord Baltimore and the Penn family. We did not deviate 
two inches to the right or the left of the centre of this stake. It was on the 20th of 
November, that our survey reached this point. 

On the following day we proceeded to find the true point of intersection of tlie east 
and west line of Mason and Dixon with this due north line. 

Beginning at the second mile stone west of the required point on Mason and Dixon's 
parallel of latitude, we traced out this parallel due east, and at the distance of five 
thousand two hundred and ninety-five feet, by our measurement, we touched upon the 
tirsl mile stone on this parallel. Continuing upon the same parallel of latitude, at the 
distance of five thousand two hundred and eighty-two feet, by our measurement, from 
the preceding stone, we struck the same stake at which our north line had terminated, 
at a point about one inch north of its centre. 

'J'his last line traversed portions of thick forest, through which we were ol)liged to 
open vistas, and in several places trees of large size, standing in open ground, had to 

* This offrset becomes 101.4 feet (lova the due oorth line, as will hereafter appear. 



22 

be cut down to admit of its prolongation, which proved that there could have been no 
retrace of it until now, since the days of Mason and Dixon. 

Having thus, by the intersection of the due north hue with the parallel of latitude, 
found the true position of the lost monument, we proceeded to mark and perpetuate it 
by planting the new monument, which had been prepared under the immediate di- 
rection of your board for that purpose. 

Before making the necessary excavation, the point to be occupied by the centre of 
the base of the stone, was preserved by placing" four pegs nearly in the form of a 
square, so that the intersection of their diag-onals should correspond with the said point. 
The next step was to construct a dam to turn off the water of the small brook which 
washed almost the very point, ar>d thus prevent its filling the cavity. 

In making the excavation, we foond at the depth of about three feet below the sur- 
face, a cut stone unmarked, and of precisely the same form, dimensions and quality, 
as the unmarked stones on the arc of the circle, and at the intersection of the circle 
with the due north line, already described. 

In turning to the proceedings of the commissioners, under the dates of the 17th 
and 18th of June, 1765, we find that such a stone was placed by them, to mark that 
point, on the last mentioned day. — (See page 15.) 

It was not until the year 1768, that a second stone, marked with the arms of the 
proprietaries, was also placed at this point, as will be seen by the records of the pro- 
ceedings of the commissioners of that date. — (See page 17.) 

It is quite within the memory of the neighboring inhabitants, that the stone which 
stood at this point in a tottering posture, to within a few years past, bore the arms, so 
often described, graven upon it. 

The unmarked stone of 1765, had probably been buried at the base of the one 
bearing the arms, when the latter was placed at the same point by commissioner 
Ewing, in 1768. 

The evidence afforded by the disinterment of this old stone, that the point fixed 
iipon from our survey, as the intersection of the due north line with the parallel of 
latitude fifteen miles south of the most southern limit of the city of Philadelphia, 
being the north-east corner of Maryland, corresponds so well with that orignally estab- 
lished by Messrs. Mason and Dixon, is certainly gratifying. 

The new stone re marking this important point, was planted with its base resting 
on rock, about five feet below the surface of the ground, ami its top rising about two 
feet above the ground. It is of cut granite, and of the following dimensions, viz : — 
about seven feet long, and squares sixteen by eighteen inches. Is is marked with the 
letter M on the south and west sides, and the letter P on the north and east sides. — 
Under this letter, on the north side, the date 184:S> is engraved in deep cut figures. 

The striking discrepancies between some of our measured distances and those of 
Messre. Mason and Dixon, and tlieir bearing upon the demarcation of the arc of the 
circle wes.t of the due north line, as well as upon the true relative positions of the 
tangent stone, and the stone representing the intersection of this circle with the due 
north line, renders it proper that we should here institute a comparison between them, 
with a view, especially, to ascertain whether the impressions which prevailed, that one 
or boih of tlie last mentioned stones had been removed from their original positions, 
were founded in reason. 

If it were true that these important monuments had been disturbed, no approximate 
estimate could be formed of the extent of mischief thus perpetrated upon the boun- 
daries, without such investigations as would lead to a discovery of their original and 
rightful positions. The as<>ertainmeni of the true point of junction of the throe States 
■was involved in this question, and this was the chief object to be investig-atetl and ad- 
justed under the especial legislation of those States authorizing your prfx;eedings. In 
regard to Delaware, an impression prevailed among her citizens, that a considerable 
portion of her territory had been abstracted by the curtailment of her rightful radius of 
twelve miles around New Castle. The unlawful disturbance of these monuments, it 
true, might well have produced such an effect, and it lay within the powers delegated 
to you, to correct the wrong, if it could be proven to be owing to such a cause. 

The comparison is embodied in the following tabular statement, viz : 



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24 

The first discrepancy to l)e investigated was in regard to the length of the chord of 
the arc cut off by the due north line. 

We, theiefore, retraced it, by running a straight line from the tangent stone to the 
stone set by the old commissioners to mark the intersection. In addition to the first 
measurement of tliis chord, already given, two others were carefully made. The fol- 
lowing is a statement of the results of the three, viz : 

By the first measurement, ..._.. 7,743.7 feet. 

By the second measurement, - - . - _ 7,742.2 " 

By the third measurement, -, - - - - 7,743.1 " 

Mean of the three, --.-.. 7,743. " 

Length of this chord, given by Mason and Dixon, is one mile, 

thirty-six chains and five links, equal to- - - - 7,659.3 " 



Our measurement is greater than the length given by Mason and 

Dixon by ------ - 83.7 



Again : Mason and Dixon state the meridian distance from the tangent stone to the 
marked or third stone on the arc of the circle, to be one mile, or - 5,280 feet. 
Our measurement gives this distance. - - - - 5,150 " 



Our measurement is less than the distance given by Mason and 

Dixon, by - - - .- - - - 130 " 

These differences not only cast, at the moment, strong suspicion upon the present 
positions of the tangent and the intersection stones, but they also affect, in a very 
important degree, the elements of the circle, an arc of which was to mark a part of 
the boundary between Maryland and what is now the State of Delaware. 

We had computed the angle of deflection between the prolongation of the tangent 
line and llie due north line, to be 3° 36' 09"; and the measurement of that angle after- 
wards, with the theodolite, verified sufficiendy the accuracy of that computation ; for 
we finally found it, by a number of measurements, repeated on all parts of the limb 
of the instrument, to be 3° 36' 06", 

With this angle, and the length of the measured chord, the length of the correspond- 
ing radius was computed on the supposition that the stones on the arc of the circle 
truly marked that arc. 

Making c= the chord. 

d= the angle of deflection from the tangent line to that chord 
r= the radius, 
c , cosine d 

We will have »• = . 

sine 2 d 

By this equation, with the angle of deflection above given, and the chord, as given 
hy Mason and Dixon, of one mile, thirty six chains and five links, the corresponding 
radius is eleven miles and two thousand three hundred and two feet, or 11.44 miles. 

With the same angle of deflection, and the chord of seven thousand seven hundred 
and forty three feet, which is the actual distance between the tangent and intersection 
stones, the corresponding radius is eleven miles and two thousand nine hundred and 
sixty two feet, or 11.56 miles. 

We now made a trace of llie curve upon the ground, corresponding to a radius of 
twelve miles. The length of a chord subtending an angle of one degree, at the centre 
of a circle of that radius, was computed to be 1,105^^^ feet; and departing from the 
tangent stone by a deflection, in the first place, of half a degree from the prolongation 
of the tangent line, to obtain the first chord, and afterwards by deflections of a degree 
from chord to chord of the above-mentioned length, a number of points were obtained 



25 

upon the circumference of the portion of the circle west of the due north line, which, 
thus traced, intersected tlic due north Hne two hundred feet in advance, or north of the 
position of the stone phiccd.to represent that point of intersection. 

We next computed the length of the chord actually corresponding to the angle of 
dellec'.ion of 3° 36' 06", and a radius of twelve miles, by the equation 

r , sine 2 d 

c = , 

cosine d 

and found it to be 7,960.6 feet, which is three hundred and one feet four inches 
longer than that given by the survey of Mason and Dixon, and two hundred and sev- 
enteen feet five inches longer than the actual distance between the tangent stone and 
the intersection stone. 

In this slate of the investigation, it was determined, upon my recommendation to 
your board, representing to you, at the same time, the necessity of the measure to a 
satisfactory solution of tlie problem involved, that the actual length of the radius or 
distance from die spire of the court house at New Casde, to some point on the%urve, 
as marked by the old monuments, should be accurately ascertained by a triangulation, 
which should be extended so as to give also the correct distances both from die tangent 
stone and tlie intersection stone, to the north east corner of Maryland. The last-men- 
tioned point, in case of any future disturbance of its monument, may always readily be 
found, as it is the intersection of two lines, both easily traced. Hence, knowing the 
distance from it to the other two, all three being upon the same meridian, a certain 
guide would be obtained for restoring either of the latter to its proper position, if dis- 
turbed. 

The distances given by the chain measurements of Mason and Dixon are already 
shewn to be too inaccurate to serve for such a guide. 

On the 24th of November, I proceeded to Washington, to ascertain if the records 
of the coast survey oflice could furnish us a distance, from its triangulation in this 
vicinity, that would serve as a convenient base for our triangulation. And I have 
much pleasure here in acknowledging the courtesy and promptness with which Pro- 
fessor A. D. Bache, superintendent of that work, had the records examined, and 
furnished me, from them, several distances and azimuths which were determined some 
years past, when that work was under the superintendence of tlie late Mr. Hassler, 
and also, sketches of the localities of the several stations, to aid us in finding the con- 
cealed monuments by which they were perpetuated. 

Some calculations had to be made in order to prepare them, and diey were for- 
warded to me at Newark, on the 9lh of December, after my return to that place. 

Among them we found the following suitable to our object, viz : 

1. From Iron Hill to New Castle court house: 

Distance, 16.281.57 metres.* 

2. From Gray's Hill to Iron Hill: 

Distance, 4,847.44 metres;** 

Azimuth, 233° 48' 07".8.t 
The last given distance was adopted as our base in the triangulation, and the neces- 
sary preparations were commenced for carrying it on with an excellent theodolite of 
nine inches (liameter,+ reading with three verniers to fifteen seconds each, made by E. 
Draper, of Philadelphia. 

• Equal to 53,415.1 feet, 1 At the rate of 39.368505.35 inches to the metre as adopted by the 

** Equal to 15,903. feet, 3 coast survey. 

fThp iixiiiiiith is reckoned from the south as 0, round by the west, north, and east, to the south, 
making .360^. 

% On the 29th of January, while Mr. Radziminski was observing with this theodolite, during a 
violent gale of wind, the heavy tri[)()d station above him was blown over, and fell to the ground. It 
struck and demolished the instrument, and Mr. R. narrowly escaped being killed; the largest timber 
just hrushiiig his head, without, however, injuring him. This instrument was then substitued by 
another which I had ia depot at Philadelphia. 



In the mean time, a retrace of the arc of the circle west of the due north line was 
carried on. 

On the 9th and 10th of December it snowed heavily. 

On the 1 1th the weather was clear, but very cold, with the snow nine inches deep 
upon the ground. The work was, however, prosecuted with assiduity, notwitiistand- 
ing there was great difficulty in clearing the lines througli the woods, in consequence 
of the weight of snow upon the branches of the trees. 

The second trace of this curve verified the accuracy of the first. The direction of 
the tangent line southward from the tangent stone, was also reexamined and verified. 

The engineers were then occupied in making the requisite reconnoissances of the 
surrounding country, in order to select suitable positions for our trigonomp!ri(':il sta- 
tions — in erecting those stations, and directing the opening of vistas through the inter- 
posing forest, to render those stations visible one from another. 

The severity of winter had fully set in. Notwithstanding this, the engineers were 
actively employed, whenever the weather was clear enough to see the stations, in 
makinor the necessary observations ; and when prevented from observing, for want of 
a clear atmosphere, they were engaged in completing the erection of the stations, and 
directing the clearings, a work which they forwarded with every possible assiduity, 
often in the rain and snow. 

The coast survey stations at Iron Hill and Gray's Hill were discovered buried between 
two and three feet below the surface of the ground. They were not disturbed, but their 
centres were indicated in position by the intersection of the diagonal lines of a quadrangle 
formed by four pegs driven into the ground, about eight feet apart. Then the cavities 
were carefully filled again with earth, and a peg driven at the intersection of these 
diagonal lines, to mark the extremities of our base line. In searching for the buried 
station at Gray's Hill, we could find only one of the points of reference given us in 
the sketches from the coast survey office, with its distance from the station. 

The snow then lay six inches deep upon the ground, and the mode adopted to find 
this point was to take the stated distance on a cord line, and attaching one end of it to 
the given point of reference, describe an arc of a circle covering the probable limits. 

The snow was then removed from this arc, and afterwards a trench was dug in the 
ground, following the curve until the station M'-as found. 

The trigonometrical stations are all laid down in position on the accompanying maps, 
where, also, the whole triangulation is shewn. These stations were marked upon the 
ground by tin cones fixed to the tops of stout poles, supported by tripods of heavy, 
undressed timbers, giving them an elevation of sixty to seventy feet above the ground. 
The cones were adjusted perpendicular over the points marked upon the ground by 
short stakes, over which the centre of the theodolite was placed, when the angles 
were observed. 

The tangent stone and the stone fixed at the north-east corner of Maryland, stood 
in such low depressions in the ground, that stations could not be erected at either of 
them high enough to be seen from the base stations, or indeed from any two of the 
other stations, suitable for fixing their positions. Two stations were, therefore, erected 
on the due north line, as near to them as possible ; one on the chord of the arc, at 
the measured distance of 1,701.02 feet north from the tangent stone, and the other on 
the due north line, at the measured distance of 730.4 feet* south of the monument at 
the north-east corner of Maryland. 
The distance between the trigonometical stations on the north line, 

was found by our triangulation to be, - - - - 24,139.5 feet. 

Distance from the south station on north line, to tangent stone, 

(twice measured,) ---._. 1,701.02 " 

From the north station on north line, to the monument at the north- 
east corner of Maryland, (twice measured,) - _ _ 730.42 '* 



The sum, = the distance from the tangent stone to the north-east 

corner of Maryland, ..--.- 26,570.94 " 

•This is the chained distance corrected to correspond with the point perpendicular under the cone. 



27 



Or, five miles and 170.94 feet. 
Deducting from tlie above our measured distance from the tangent 
stone to the intersection stone, - - - - - 



7,743 



18,827.94 " 



63,357.7 



We have the true distance from the intersection stone to the north- 
cast corner of Maryhmd, = - 

Or, three miles and 2,987.94. 
The distance from the spire of the court house at New Castle, to 

the station on the arc of the circle, which is the actual radius of 

the circle, marking in part the boundary between Delaware and 

Maryland, was determined by our triangulation to be, - 
Or two feet and four inches less than the stipulated radius of twelve miles. 

During tiie investigations in relation to the arc west of the north line and its chord, 
I found it necessary to go again to Annapolis, in order to see if a further search into 
the notes of Mason and Dixon's survey would afford any explanations of the princi- 
ples upon which they traced this arc, and determined the length of its chord. These 
notes, added to those of their predecessors, and the records of the commissioners of 
that period, were too voluminous for me possibly to finish their perusal and close ex- 
amination within the period of my first visit. 

The information derived from tliem, combined with our determinations of the actual 
length of the radius, and the angle of deflection between the tangent line prolonged, 
and the north line, served to elucidate the whole difficulty, which had arisen (where it 
was least to be expected) in an evident error in a governing element in their computa- 
tion of the length of this chord, and, consequently, of the lengths of the ordinates at 
right angles to it, wliich was the method adopted by them for marking the points upon 
the arc west of the north line. 

The following is an extract from the records of their survey : 

"1765, June '3d. Sent expresses to Annapolis and Philadelphia, to acquaint the 
commissioners we should finish the line betwixt the tangent point and the parallel this 
week. 

"Also measured the angle formed by the radius from New Castle, and the north 
line, and found it = 86° 32'. Hence the offsets (at right angles) to the westward from 
the meridian for the boundary betwixt New Castle county and Maryland are as fol- 
lows : 



Distance from tangent 


Offsets. 




point. 






No. 


Chains. Links. 


Chains. Links. 







00 


00 




1 


8 05 


46 




2 


18 05 


92 




3. 


28 05 


1 28^ 




4 


38 05 


1 541 




5 


48 05 


1 701 




6. 


58 05 


1 75d 


"= the middle or greatest offset." 


7 


68 05 


1 701 




8 


78 05 


1 5U 




9. 


88 05 


1 28d 




10 


98 05 


92 




11 


108 05 


46 




12 


116 05 


00 





CHA. MASON, 
JERE. DIXON.' 



28 

« 1765, June 4tli. Set off the offsets," &c., &c. 

We find, on investigation, that the foregoing elements of the arc of Mason and 
Dixon are based upon the angle of defleotion of the chord, from the tangent line pro- 
duced, of 3° 28', or the complement of the angle, 8G° 32', which they measured on 
the 3d of June, 1765, "formed by the radius from New Castle and the north line." 
It does not appear that they ever actually measured the angle betweeen the tangent 
line, (or its prolongation.) and the north line. That angle seems to have been as- 
sumed upon the supposed accuracy of their observation, noted in their survey book 
under date of November 13th, 1764, as follows, viz: 

"On measuring the angle formed by our last line and the radius from New Castle, 
it was so near a right angle, that on a mean from our lines, the above mentioned post 

[the tangent post fixed by their predecessors, and by them marked-^^j ] is the true tan- 
gent point." 

Now, the accuracy of that angle must have depended upon the coincidence of the 
exterior termination of the radius of twelve miles, with a perfectly straight line pro- 
longed from the court house at New Castle quite to the tangent point. This radius 
was determined by the simple method of measuring over the surface of the ground 
with a surveyor's chain, for which purpose a vista, or ^^visto^^^ as it was called by 
the surveyors in those days, was opened through the forest as the work progressed. 
We are surprised, at this day, that the length of the radius should have been so cor- 
rectly obtained by such a method. There must have been, by mere chance, a com- 
pensation of the errors incident to such a measurement over so great a distance. Very 
small deviations from the true direction would not, however, produce much effect upon 
the distance, but this is not true with regard to the angle which would be formed between 
the tangent line and the radius, or the north line and tiie radius. A slight deviation in 
the direction of the radius at its termination, might affect, in a material degree, the 
measure of either of these angles, and we have reason to believe that the angle mea- 
sured by Messrs. Mason and Dixon, between the tangent line and the radius frooi New 
Castle, which " was so near a right angle;" and "the angle formed by the radius from 
New Castle and the north line," which they found to be = 86° 32', were both atTected 
by such an error. The tangent stone stands on low ground, very near the margin of 
a morass, known by tlie name of Cat sAvamp. Looking from thence to the east, the 
ground is pretty flat for half a mile; then it rises, by a rapid ascent, to the ridge run- 
ning northward from tlie summit of Chesnut Hill, distant one mile. This ridge en- 
tirely shuts out the view of the whole country to the east of it, from the tangent stone, 
and must at least have limited the view of the radius, when the angles it formed with 
the tangent and north lines were measured by Messrs. Mason and Dixon. 

These angles were, then, probably affected by whatever errors in direction may 
have arisen in running eleven miles of that radius from New Castle. 

Our own triangalation has given us the data for an accurate determination of the 
angle formed by the tangent line and the line drawn from the spire of the court house 
at New Castle to the point of intersection at the tangent stone. 

From it we have— 

1. The angle at Iron hill subtended by the spires of the court 

house and the church at New Castle, - - - = 0° 26' 13". 3= a 

2. The angle at New Castle court house subtended by the 

stations on Iron hill, and on the arc west of the north line, = 5° 18' 31" =6 

3. Value of the arc of 63,357.7 feet radius, included between 
the tangent stone and the trigonomical station on the curve, 
whose chord was twice carefully measured and found to be 

753 feet, - - - - - - = 0° 40' 51".3=c 

4. Angle of deflection between the tangent line and the north 

line or chord of the arc of boundary, - - - =3°36'06" = f/ 



29 

And here we nre again indebted to the coast survey records 

for the azimuth of tlic line from Iron hill to New Casde 

church spire, which is given to be. - - - 261° 28' 33".0=e 

Let the north-cast angle formed by the tangent line and the ra- 
dius drawn from New Castle court house to the tangent 

stone ------- =x 

And the south-east angle, formed by the same lines, - =y 

Then x=a-}-{b—c)+e-\-d—\s6°=90° 08' 32". 9. 

And y=360°— (« + (6— c)-frf-(-e)=89° 51' 27". 1. 

So tliat the tangent line does not form a right angle with the radius of twelve miles 
drawn from the spire of New Castle court house To the point occupied by the tangent 
stone. 

The angle, at the tangent stone formed by these two lines, differs 8' 32". 9 from a 
right angh^ Now we find, by computation, that the small deviation of forty-six and 
one half seconds in direction, or thirteen feet one and one-half inch from a straight 
line ai the end of eleven miles, in running this radius from New Castle court house, 
would be sufficient to produce tfiis ditference of 8' 32". 9 in the measurement of Messrs. 
Mason and Dixon's angle at the tangent post, supposiug their view to the east to have 
been liuiiled to the distance of one mile, as it evidently must have been from the na- 
ture of the ground. 

Even this is indicative of a very small error in direction in tracing tliis radius, when we 
reflect that it was prolonged tlirough the forest by ranging staves or poles in line, one be- 
yond another, as the surveyors advanced with their work, a method so inaccurate for tra- 
cinga straight line that we are surprised it should have been resorted to in so important 
an undert;dving. This was not, however, the work of Messrs. Mason and Dixon, but of 
their predecessors, who v/ere less versed in science, and in the use of the higher order 
of geodetic instruments than were Messrs. Mason and Dixon. 

That the arc of the circle west of the due north line and the radius terminating at 
the tangent stone, were traced and determined correspondent with one and the same 
centre, by the surveyors under the agreement of 1760 and ourselves — that is to say, 
the spire of the court house at New Castle, is manifest from the following evidence 
and authority. 

The decree of Lord Ilardwicke, of 1750, touches these two points and the posi- 
tion of cape Henlopen, in the following words, viz : 

''And two questions in particular having been raised in America by the commis- 
sioners formerly appointed by the defendant, the Lord Baltimore, and being now made 
in this cause, namely, where the centre of the circle, agreed by the said articles [allu- 
ding to the agreement of 1732,] to be drawn about the town of New Castle therein 
mentioned, ought to be fixed, and whether the said circle ought to be of a radius or 
semi-diameter of twelve miles, or only a periphery of twelve miles; and a tbird ques- 
tion being also made in tins cause, namely, at what place the cape called in the said 
articles cape Hinlopen is situated, his Lordship doth declare that he is of opinion that 
according to the true intent and construction of the said articles, the centre of the said 
circle ought to be fixed in the middle of tbe town of New Castle, as near as the same 
can be computed, and the said circle ought to be of a radius or semi-diameter of twelve 
miles, and that cape Hinlopen ought to be deemed and taken to be situated at the place 
where the same is laid down and described in the map or plan annexed to the said ar- 
ticles, to be situated. And, therefore, his lordship doth further order and decree that 
the said articles be carried into execution accordingly," &;c., &c., &c. 

The above extract is taken from the old parchment, bearing the original agreement 
of July 4lh, 1760, with the autograph signatures and the seals of Frederick Lord Bal- 
timore, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, belonging to the Executive Department of 
the State of Pennsylvania, which instrument contains this as well as other recitals 
from the decree of 1750. 

In the body of that agreement are also found the following words, viz : 
"That the true length and extent of the said line, [alluding to the line across the 
peninsula from cape Henlopen,] was, and is, and shall at all times hereafter be es- 



30 

teemed, held, taken and adjudged to be sixty-nine miles and two hundred and ninety- 
eight perclies, and neither more or less. That, consequently, the exact middle of 
such west line (from whence the other line is to begin which is to run up the said pen- 
insula, till it makes a tangent to the western part of a circle, at the distance of twelve 
English statute miles horizontally measured from the Court House in the said town of 
New Castle,) was, and is, and shall at all times forever hereafter be esteemed, held, 
taken and adjudged to be at the exact distance of thirty four of the said miles and 
three hundred and nine perches, so measured west from the aforesaid spot or place of 
beginning of the said west line, as the same were so measured as aforesaid," &.c., 
&c., &c. 

Here we have an especial recognition of the Court House m New Castle as the point 
fixed on for the centre of the circle. 

The proceedings of the commissioners appointed on both sides, under the provisions 
of the agreement of 1760, and their instructions to the surveyors are even more ex- 
plicit upon this point. 

In the record of those proceeding, under the date of November 7th, 1761, we find 
the following : 

"Saturday, the 7th of November, 1761. 

"Nine o'clock, A. M. 

*'The commissioners met according to adjournment. 

*' Present as yesterday. 

"The commissioners, having made their calculation, find that the tangent will, at 
the middle point, make an angle of three degrees thirty-two minutes and five seconds 
with the meridian line lately run by the surveyors, and they agree that a radius of 
twelve miles, horizontal measure, shall be run from the centre of the Court House in 
New Castle, northwards of the line of intersection lately run from that place, so as to 
make an angle therewith of nineteen degrees three minutes and fifty-five seconds, 
which radius the commissioners find, by the calculations they have made, will termi- 
nate in the tangent point in the periphery of the circle. 

"Then the commissioners agreed to give the surveyors the following instructions, 
viz : 

"Gentlemen: — You are to run a straight line of the length of twelve English 
statute miles, horizontal measure, or as nearly horizontal as you can, from the centre 
of the Court House in New Castle, in such direction as to make an angle of nineteen 
degrees three minutes and fifty-five seconds northwards with the line of intersection 
lately run by you from the centre of the said Court House ; and at the end of such 
twelve mile line you are to set up and secure a post or stone, at the same time making 
such visible marks near it, as may enable you hereafter to discover and determine its 
place, in case it should be destroyed or removed. And in order to preserve the di- 
rection of the said line, you are, also, at the end of six, ten and eleven miles from 
New Castle, and at the distance of twenty perches eastward of the end of such twelve 
mile line, to set up other posts in the said line. November 7th, 1761. 

J. RIDOUT, JAMES HAMU/rON, 

JNO. LEEDS, RICHARD PETERS, 

JOHN BARCLAY, BENJAMIN CHEW, 

WM. COLEMAN." 

" To Messrs. Thomas Garnetf, Jonathan Hall, John Lukens and Archibald 
M'' Clean, Surveyors. 

"The commissioners adjourned to the first day of April next, at which time they 
agreed to meet again at New Castle. 

J. RIDOUT, JAMES HAMILTON, 

JNO. LEEDS, RICHARD PETERS, 

JOHN BARCLAY, BENJAMIN CHEW, 

WM. COLEMAN." 



31 

We roiu'ludc the evidence on this point by quoting from the note book of the sur- 
veyors, who ill the year 1761, traced the radius and fixed tlic post markedy;, at its 

western extremity. It will be remembered that this is the post which the commis- 
sioners, in their proceedings of the 24lh of November, 1761, declared, "shall be 
and be deemed and accounted to be the true tangent point, and that the surveyors shall 
proceed to run ttie north line and such part of the circle as falls to the westward of 
the said line, accordino; to the articles, from the said point," &c. , &,c. 
The surveyors records are as follows, viz : 

"Saturday, November 1, 1761. 

"In pursuance of the hist instructions, and also other directions from the commis- 
sioners, wo this day went to the post near .Toseph Tatloe's house, and from thence 
extended the direction of the line on which the base was measured for com puling the 
distance from said post to the spire on New Castle court house, to the distance of 
twenty-four chains sixty three links and three tenths of a link, thereby subtending an 
auirle of 19° 3' 55" at the spire aforesaid, that being the angle which by the said last 
instructions we were required to make with the line of intersection ;* which said dis- 
tance terminated in a point fixed on a white oak post well secured iii the ground in 
the aforesaid direction, and found, by calculation, to be seventy-five chains thirty-one 
links and seventy-six hundredths link distant from the spire aforesaid, on the twelve 
mile line therein directed to be run. 

.INO. LUKENS, JONA. HALL. 

ARD. M'CLEAN, 

"Novembers, Sunday, 1761." 

"November 9, 176], Monday. 

" After ingaging sundry axemen this morning, Mr. Thomas Garnett, one of the 
surveyors on behalf of his lordship, having resolved to go home, and Jonathan Hall 
receiving advice that his wife was sick, thought proper to go home a few days, and 
there being none other here to act on the part of his Lordship, in running and measur- 
ing the line, which, by instructions of the seventh instant, we were directed to run 
and measure, we were, therefore, under the disagreeable necessity, (notwithstanding 
we have divers persons in pay.) to adjourn to the sixteenth of this month, at which 
tiine we agree to meet at New Castle, in order to run and measure the line as in- 
structed. 

JNO. LUKENS, JONA. HALL," 

ARD. M'CLEAN, 

"Monday, November 16, 1761. 

"This morning early we met at New Castle, according to adjournment, and went 
to the post, which, by the direction of the commissioners, we set in the ground on 
the seventh instant, at the distance of seventy -five chains thirty-one links seventy-one 
hundredths of a link by computation from the spire of the court house at New Castle, 
and after opening avisto toward the said spire from the point mentioned to be fixed in 
said post, we extended a line westward in the direction of said spire and point four 
chains sixty-eight links twenty four hundredths of a link to a squared while oak post 

marked j ;which said post is found by the aforesaid computed and measured distances, 

to be one mile distant from the spire on said court house. 

JNO. LUKENS, JONA. HALL." 

ARD. M'CLEAN. 



Alluding to the first experimental line run from the court house to intersect a due north line 
which was traced up the peninsula from the "middle point" of the line run west from cape Hen- 
loDpn. 



lopen 



S2 

After detailing each day's work, in the prolongation and measurement of this radal 
line, the surveyors describe its completion on llie twenty-eighth of November, and :, 
re-nieasuremeni between that date and the second of December, as follows, viz : ' 

r [ 

"Saturday, November 2S, 1761. i 

"Proceeded with the line sixty-three chains, where we fixed and secured firmly in 

M 
the ground in the meadow, late Lewis Thomas's, a squared while oak post marked^,, • 

the said measure ending in a point fixed thereon, which said post, we are of opinion 
is twelve English statute miles, horizontal measure, distant from the spire of the cour 
house in New Castle, that being the distance which, by our instructions, we were en- 
joined to extend the said line, during the measure of which distance we kept the ac- 
count in four-perch chains, tho' where hills intervened the measure was performed by 
instruments, before prepared for rendering the same horizontal, and where level, the 
same was taken by a two perch chain, which we frequently and carefully measured, 
and after fixing the said twelve mile post, we took the courses and distances from thence 
to the several trees, as expressed on the next page,* thereby to determine its place, in 
case it should be destroyed or removed ; afterward we fixed a white oak post in the 
said direction, at the distance of twenty perches to the eastward of the said post; 
which done, we agreed to begin at the said twelve mile post and re measure the line 
toward New Casde superficially, least a mistake should have been committed from th( 
dift'erent modes we were obliged to pursue or take in order to make the measure hori- 
zontal, which re-measure we continued to the ten mile post, and left off". Afterward 
setded with and dismissed sundry of the labourers. 

JNO. LUKENS, ' JOHN F. A. PRIGGS, 

ARD. M'CLEAN, JONA. HALL, 

"November 29, Sunday." 

"Monday, iVoyem6er 30, 176L 
" Continued the re-measure of the line (as on the twenty-eighth instant) from the 
ten mile post to the two mile post, where night came on. 

JNO. LUKENS, JOHN F. A. PRIGGS, 

ARD. M'CLEAN, JONA. HALL." 

' Tuesday, December 1, 1761. 

" Continued the measure as before from the two mile post, to the post which we 
set up on the seventh ultimo, from which the direction of the line was taken, and from 
the proportional agreement between the superficial and horizontal measure, find that 
no mistake hath been committed. 

"Settled with and dismissed the chain-carriers, and all the other hands except the 
steward and waggoner, then rode to Wilmington, there to take account of and ueposite 
the stores for the winter season. 

JNO. LUKENS, JOHN F. A. PRIGGS, 

ARD. M'CLEAN, JONA. HALL." 

" Wednesday, December 2, 1761. 
"This day took account of the stores ; stored them in Wilmington, in die care of 
John Stapler, Esq., setUed sundry accounts, dismissed the st ward and the waggoner. 
JNO. LUKENS, JOHN F. A. PRIGGS, 

ARD. M'CLEAN, JONA. HALL." 

From the foregoing authorities, no doubt whatever can exist, that the print agreec 
on and used as the centre of the circle of twelve miles radius by the commissioners 



The next page of the old surveyor's book contains the diagram referred to. 



I 



33 

.Tud surveyors of lionl Baltimore, and Tliomas and Ricliard Penn, was one and the 
same as that in ref(;ren(;e lo wliicli the arc of the circle west of the due north line, 
and the radius tcrnMuatiug at the tangent stone, were traced and determined by us in 
our recent survey. 

The discrepancies then, which have been shewn between our work and theirs, in 
regard to this arc and the an^le formed between the radius and the peninsidar or tan- 
gent line, at the tangent stone, cannot be attributed to atiy diirercnce in our positions 
respecting the centre of this circle. 

'i'he radius run out by the surveyors in 1761, indicated by a line drawn from the 
spire of tlie court house in Now Castle, to the present position of the tangent stone, 
should be revolved about tlie centre of its circle, (tlie spire aforesaid) through an arc 
of 8 niiiuites and 34 seconds and one tenth of a second to the south, and then pro- 
duced two feet four inches westward, and the line called the tangent line, should be 
revolved westward al)out its southern extremity, at the " Middle Point" of the cape 
Ilenlopen line, through the inappreciable angle of one second and two -tenths of a 
second, and then these two lines would meet at right angles, at the distance of 157.6 
feet southward from the present position of the tangent stone. 

The slight variation thus required in the azimuth of the tangent line, proves the sur- 
prising accuracy of its direction as determined by Messrs. Mason and Dixon, and how 
truly It divided the provinces, in accordance with the articles of the antient agreement, 
as far as it extended, which is given by Mason and Dixon in their notes of survey, to 
be 81 miles 78 chains and 31 links, or 17.2 yards less than 82 miles. 

It is equally surprising that there should have been so great an error in tlieir ele- 
ments for markinij out the arc of the circle west of the north line, and in the length 
of their chord, which they computed to be 1 16 chains and 5 liidvs, or 7,659.3 feet, 
And which we find to be, as actually marked by the tangent and inter- 
section stones, -.--.-- 7,743 " 
But which, according to our computations, should have been - - 7,960.6 " 

And should have begun at a point 157.6 feet southward of the present position of the 
tangent stone, and liave ended at a point 143.7 feet north of llie present position of the 
stone set by Mason and Dixon, and the commissioners of their day. to mark ils termi- 
nation, and constituting now the point of junction of the three Slates. 
The origin of this error has, we ihiiUi, been satisfactorily discovered. 
It is our opinion that the stones on the arc, west of the north line, stand as originally 
placed. Of this we have evidence, conclusive enough, from the lengths of our mea- 
sured ordinates of that arc, compared with the 3d, 6lh and 9th in the table of Mason 
and Dixon, copied at page 27. 

The following is a comparison of our measurements with theirs for this arc. 



According to Mason and Dixon's survey 
made in 1765. 


According to our measurements on the 
ground in 1849. 




Distances on chord from 
tangent stone, in feet. 


Lengths of ordi- 
nates, in feet. 


Distances on chord from 
tangent stone, in feet. 


Lenghts of ordi- 
nates in feet 


1 
2 
3 


1,851.3 
3,831.3 
5.811.3 


84.8 

115.8 

84.8 


1,855.3 
3,8.36.7 
5,872.7 


85.4 
115.6 
84 



We can make no comparison with the marked stone on the arc intervening between 
the 2d and 3d of the above table, and which was intended to be put at the meridian 
distance of one mile from the tangent stone, for the reason that Mason and Dixon do 
not give the length of ihcir ordinate for that one. 



u 

"We fonnri it, liowever, fb be lOl.'i feet perpenJicular from the clinrfl, to tlie west, 
and we find by r-omputiiiff its phice from the elements assumed liy Mason and Dixon 
for marking this arc. that it would he 99.4 feet. 

The foreofoing table shows conrlusively that the tangent stone could never have been 
moved from its original position, for onr first and second distances from it on the chord 
or north line, correspond almost exactly with those given by Mason and Dixon, quite 
within the probable errors of careful chaining at least. 'J'he discrepancy in our dis- 
tances to the third ordinate is no doidjt owing to an error in the count of one chain (66 
feet) on their part, for our distance was tested by three measurements. 

There is no doubt that that stone and the intersection stone remain at this day in the 
positions sjiven to them by the commissioners and surveyors in 1765. 

In addition to the above evidence, we have that which arises from the fact that tliey 
both now stand upon their proper lines of direction, which would scarcely have been 
preserved had they been moved by mischievous interference. The tangent stone stands 
now precisely upon the same right line, with the tliree monuments to the southward 
of it on the tangent line, and the intersection stone stands as truly on the north line. 
The error in the distance intended to be given them apart by Messrs. Mason and 
Dixon, (which accidental distance' we actually found to be nearer the truth than their 
computed distance,) was probably one of miscount in their chain measurement, as was 
also the error of one hundred and thirty* feet in the meridian distance of the marked 
stone on the a:rc from the tangent stone, which they state to be one mile. 

Those who believed that the tangent stone had been disturbed in its position because 
of the fragments of stone of a similar character which for some time lay strewed at 
its basCi were not carried so far back by tradition as the period when this point was 
marked by two similar stones, engraved alike with the arms of the proprietaries and 
placed side by side, "the better to distinguish and ascertain the tangent point," as will 
appear was done by reference to the records of the commissioners under the dates of 
June 18th, 1765, and November 20lh, 1766, given in the preceding extracts and briefs 
of their proceedings. 

The fraffmenls which we were told of wliile engaged in the reconnoissance?^ were 
the remains no doubt of the missing companion of the one we found a little inclined 
in posture, but firmly planted in the ground. When it was taken up, for the purpose 
of placing the new stone, which will presendy be noticed, it was unbroken and perfect 
in its form. 

Had Messrs. Mason and Dixon adopted the method of tracing the arc by deflecting 
from their tangent line, (which is so true in its direction,) and then from chord to chord 
of a constant length to find points on the circumference of that arc, it would not have 
been affected by the want of perpendicularity in the assumed direction of the radius 
to the tangent. They would by this method have described the true arc, independent 
of any reference to the radius, except alone as to its length, and they would have in- 
tersected the north line by the curve at precisely the distance from the tangent stone 
computed by us, that is to say, at 7960.6 feet from it, and 217.6 feet in advance of its 
piesent position. 

The error in their curve is not one of moment, as regards extent of territory, as it 
abstracts from Delaware and gives to Maryland only about I ^W of an acre. The 
versed line of their arc is 115.8 feet, and that of the arc they should have traced is 
125.3 feet. 

Although their measured distances are found to be affected by many errors, incident 
always to measurements of great extent with the chain, yet the directions of their lines 
are correct, and as the only distance included in their portion of the survey, and spe- 
cified as an element in the' boundary, namely, the fifteen miles south of the parallel of 
the most southern limits of the city of Philadelphia was, after measurement with the 
chain, corrected by very accurate observations for the corresponding difleience of lati- 
tude, the absolute division of territory between the then Provinces was effected from 



*This error was probably caused by a miscount of two chains, which woulJ be equal to one hun- 
dred and thirty-two lieet. 



So 

ihc soijili extremity of ilic tanofcnt line to tiic north extremity of the north line, on the 
\vhoK% with great ac(Miraey. 'J'heir long west line or parallel of latitude we have had 
no occasion to test, except for a short distance, hut the great care with which their as- 
tronomical observations, contained in the old manuscripts at Annapolis, were made, 
leaves no doubt of the accuracy of that part of their work. 

These ol)servations. together with the records of the proceedings of the several joint 
commissions charged with the division of the then provinces in question, will be more 
fully alluded to in a report to Col. Abert, Chief of the Corps of Topographical En- 
gineers, and they will, 1 hope, be rescued from their long slumber in quiet obscurity, 
and be laid before the world in a printed form. 

The conclusion having l)cen arrived at, that none of these monuments found on the 
curve, at the tangent point, and at the intersection point, had been disturbed in their 
original positions, which was ratified by your board, the obliiration to consider them 
true marks of boundary is imposed by the declaration to that ellect by the commission- 
ers acting on behalf of their respective constituents, Lord Baltimore, and Tliomas and 
Kichard Penii, fully expressed on the records of their proceedings. 

Accordingly, by your directions, in addition to the new monument fixed at the north- 
east corner of Maryland, as already mentioned, the following were also erected at the 
tangent point, at the intersection point, or junction, of the three States, and on the me- 
ridian of the curve, viz : 

At the tangent point, a post of cut granite, 6 feet long, and squaring 18 by 15 
inches, was inserted 4^ feet of its length in the ground, on the north side of and 
touching the old stone bearing the engraved arms, which remains in its old position. 
On the north side of the new stone is graved, in deep cut letters, the word TAN- 
GENT, with the date 1H49. 

At the pointof junction of the three States, a triangular prismatic post of cut granite, 
18 inches wide on each side, and 7 feet long, was inserted 4| feet of its length into 
the ground. It occupies the exact spot on which the old unmarked stone was found. 
It is marked with the letters M. P. and D., on the sides facing respectively towards 
the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware. On the north side, below the 
letter P., are the names of the commissioners, in deep cut letters, namely: "H. G. 
S. KEY, of Md., J. P. EYRE, of Pa., G. R. RIDDLE, of Del., Commissioners," 
with the date 184:0. This boundary stone stands upon land now belonging to Wm. 
Johnson. The old unmarked stone was buried, lying in a prostrate or horizontal po- 
sition, just below the surface of the ground, on the north side of and central with the 
new stone. 

At the meridian, or middle point, of the arc, corresponding to the length of the chord, 
as we actually found it, and at the distance of 118.4 feet perpendicular from the mid- 
dle point of said chord, a post of cut granite, 6 feel long, was inserted 4| feet of its 
length into the ground, 'i'his stone squares 17 by 14 inches. It is rounded on the 
west side to indicate that it is on the curve, and on the east side the date 1840 is 
marked in deep cut figures. 

The circular boundary between Pennsylvania and Delaware, from the point of 
junction of the three States to the river Delaware being yet uiunarked, and a number 
of citizens residing near this common border being in doubt, and anxious to know to 
which Slate they belong, at your suggestion the survey was conducted with such pre- 
cision as to enable us to describe that boimdary correctly, as will appear upon our 
map, for a distance of about 3| miles north-eastward from the junction. 

We have determined the distance by computation, at which a due east line from the 
north-east corner of Maryland will cut that circular boundary and find it to be 4036 
feet, or .766 of a mile. We have also computed the angle with the meridian at the 
said north-east corner, made hyaline drawn from thence to the spire of the court 
house at New Castle, and find it to be 70° 20' 45 " cast of south. At the distance of 
3786 feet, measured on the said line from the aforesaid north-east corner, this line will 
intersect the circular boundary. 

The want of a proper demarcation of the boundaries between States is always a 
source of great inconvenience, and often of trouble to the border inhabitants; and it 



5 1900 S6 

IS worthy of remar1\, tliat as our survey progrcssecl, and while niakino; the necressary 
offsets to houses on tlie eastoflhe north hue, wo discovered that there was an impres- 
sion among many, that the boundary of Delaware extended up lo the north Hne, from 
the junction to the nortli east corner of Maryland. 

Mr. W. Smith, a gentleman who has once served as a memhor of the Legislature 
of Delaware, resides a full half mile within the State of Pennsylvania, measured in 
the shortest direction from his dwelling house to the circular boundary. 

We find, also, by careful measurement, Uiat Christiana church is in Pennsylvania, 
full one hundred yards west of the circular boundary. The dwelling houses ot 
Messrs. J. Jones, Thomas Gibson, Tliomas Steel and J. M'Cowan, are all within the 
bounds of Pennsylvania, according to our trace of the circle from computed elements. 

I take great pleasure in acknowledging here the valuable aid rendered, in this survey, 
by my assistants, Lt. George Thom, of the Topograhical Engineers, and Mr. Ciiarles 
Radziminski. 

The former was obliged, by his duties in the office of the north enstern boundary, 
to return to Washington on the 24lh of Novem!)er. He joined us, liowever, again, 
on the 29lh of January, and participated in the completion of the field work, on the 
6th of February, at a time when, owing to the delays which the almost continued 
stormy and cloudy weather in January had produced, his aid was very important. 

Mr. Radziminski remained in tlie field from the beginning to the end of the work, 
and Used every exertion to forward it. Mr. Derrick, our junior assistant, did the 
same. They lost not a day that could be appropriated to the outdoor work; and 
often, when the weather was unpromising, they would go out, in order to be ready to 
observe angles, &c. , if it should clear, and would return, drenched with rain, or 
covered with sleet, during the cold weather of December and January, never regard- 
ing their personal comfort, when the work coidd be forwarded by exposing themselves. 

I herewith present three finished maps, one for each of your respective States, con- 
structed from our surveys, and duly certified. 

All which is respectfully submitted. 

J. D. GRAHAM. 



LBAg'09 



